hr ■ Co. a.aoruy 

icopv ^H 



XHK 



RACCOON LANDS, 

GREENUP COUNT\ , 
KENTUCKY, 

. CONSIDERED WITH REGARD TO THJi Ml NESS 
OF THE TRACT FOR USE FOR I HK 
PURPOSES OF 

SHEEP FARMING. 

WITH MAPS. 



BV J. IVI. OOODWIK 



CLEVELAND, O.: 

SHORT A FOKMAN, PRINTEKS AND STATIO> fiUS 

1883. 



THE; 



RACCOON LANDS, 

GREENUP COUNTY, 

KENTUCKY, 

CONSIDERED WITH REGARD TO THE FITNESS 

OF THE TRACT FOR USE FOR THE 

PURPOSES OF 

SHEEP FARMING. 

WITH MAPS. 



BY J. NI. OOODWIN. 



CLEVELAND', O.: 

SHORT <St FORMAN, PRINTERS AND STATIONERa, 

1883. 



A^ 






IN EXCHANGE 
JAN 5 . 1915 



The Raccoon Lands, 



To those who have informed themselves on the subject, we need pre- 
sent no argument in substantiation of the assertion that we here make, 
that there is at this day no enterprise open to the capitalist, who wishes 
to see his money used to the advantage of the world at large as well as 
to his individual profit, that is as certainly remunerative as one in which 
large tracts of land, in every respect well suited to the purpose and well 
situated with reference to markets, are, under judicious management, 
utilized for the purposes of sheep farming ; or of stock raising if circum- 
stances render that the more desirable industry. 

But as of those whom we address many will have given this subject 
little or no attention, we purpose presenting in the course of this pamph- 
let some statistical details and some applications of well established facts, 
and inferences drawn from such facts, going to show that our prelim- 
inary assertion is substantially correct. 

As food and clothing are the prime necessaries of life so the indus- 
tries through which these are supplied are the principal industries of 
mankind. The industry of the agriculturist is that of the prime agent 
through whom the world receives food and clothing, and is consequently 
the most important, as it was the earliest, industry among men. 

The agriculturists of the United States supply with food and cloth- 
ing material, not only the people of their own country but millions of 
those of other nations. In 1880 they exported to foreign countries 
products valued at $737,862,617, which sum was 89^ per cent, of the 
total value of all exports from the United States in that year. 



The acreage under cultivation in this country is increased yearly, 
and the area devoted to stock raising and sheep farming has been greatly 
enlarged since a few years ago. At the same time the practice in agri- 
culture, and in stock and wool raising is constantly improving; and sim- 
ultaneously the standards of the markets for grains, stock and wool are 
persistently advanced. 

■ Improvements in appliances for transporting and handling all these 
things have been demanded by an intelligent and interested public, and 
the inventive genius of the country has promptly met the demand in this 
direction. The cost of transportation by rail is now less than ever 
before, and will in the future be even less than it now is. 

On our great through rail routes, admirable and wonderfully effective 
highways of commerce as they are, there is large room, still, for better- 
ments of road, rolling stock, motive power, and terminal facilities ; and, 
under the administration of the present generation of managers, engineers 
and specialists in railway science, we shall see them made very materially 
more effective, and rates consequently made lower than any yet per- 
manently ruling. Population increases apace, and each generation is in 
advance of that before it, not only in numbers but in condition. New 
York and London call always for more, and for better food and raiment. 

Our exports of beef to England and of "hog products" to several 
European countries, are, notwithstanding occasional obstructions offered 
by well-meaning but mistaken officials, increasing from year to year; 
and to these we shall have occasion soon to add large exports of mutton 
to England, in which country, owing to causes not yet thoroughly 
understood, sheep do not thrive as formerly-; in several districts that 
have been for generations noted for their fine sheep and wool, sheep 
farming has been in great measure abandoned. Within a few years 
English capital has largely availed itself of the opportunities that certain 
of our territories offer for continuing here the business no longer cer- 
tainly profitable in England. 

At the same time many companies have been formed in this country 
for the purposes of stock raising and sheep farming, and large sums 



have been applied to those objects, generally under judicious manage- 
ment and with good results. But there is no ground for believing that 
the business will be "overdone." Neither England, France, Belgium 
nor Germany produces meat in quantity sufficient for the supply of its 
own population ; and as means for transportation are increased and im- 
proved these countries will take more and more of our beef and mutton, 
as well as of our cured meats. 

The demand for the products of the stock range and sheep farm, 
respectively, will more than keep pace with the increased and improved 
supply, and in the future the producer who puts into the great eastern 
markets either live stock, meats or wool, of superior quality, will secure 
net returns better than any heretofore realized. 

Parties intending to make a specialty of stock and sheep-raising on 
a large scale have, since some years ago, almost without exception, 
located in some one of the Territories, where they have occupied public 
lands squatter fashion, or without paying rents, or have bought their 
lands at the very low price demanded by the Government. 

The prospect of advantages to be thus gained has so absorbed the 
attention of these parties that they have ignored the existence of regions 
lying many hundreds of miles nearer the Eastern sea-board and offer- 
ing, moreover, advantages of climate and soil not to be found combined 
anywhere else ; or if they have considered them at all, in this connec- 
tion, have inadequately informed themselves as to important facts that 
are readily ascertainable ; or, if they have acquainted themselves with 
these facts, have entirely failed to properly estimate and apply tliem. While 
with good management and adequate capital a man may make money in 
stock farming in Dakota or Montana, or in Texas, or in sheep farming 
in New Mexico, the fact remains that with like management and equal 
capital he may make very much more money in the same business in 
Eastern Kentucky. 

We unhesitatingly assert that there is in all North America no terri- 
tory in which the business of sheep farming may be carried on as success- 
fully and profitably as in certain portions of Eastern and Northeastern 



Kentucky ; and that in all the region indicated there is no tract of land 
that is as well situated and in every way suitable to the carrying on of 
that business as is that certain tract, lying in Greenup county, Kentucky, 
known as "the Raccoon Lands." 

An experienced and judicious sheep farmer, fully informed as to the 
conditions necessary to a realization of the best possible results in his 
specialty, and about to select a situation in which to prosecute that 
industry, would seek a country having a climate mild and equable, in 
which neither long and very cold winters, nor long and very hot sum- 
mers are known ; a country where snows are never heavy enough to 
bury the pasturage nor to lie on the ground more than two or three days 
continuously; where violent storms and winds like the "Northers" of 
Texas are unknown ; where sheep, and even large stock, may find ample 
pasturage throughout the severest winter ; and where, consequently, 
hand feeding would not be necessary at any season except for the pur- 
pose of affording those variations of diet that are sometimes useful. 

The country of his choice would not be subject to excessive rains 
at any season, nor to exhausting droughts in summer. 

The soil would be generally sandy rather than otherwise, but of 
strength sufficient to the production of- ample pasturage, and capable, 
when cultivated, of bearing good crops of grass, corn, oats and roots, 
without dressing. 

He would know that sheep do not thrive best on low-lying, alluvial 
plains, nor on plateaus very much elevated above the sea level, nor in 
regions in which there are no breaks in the surface rock and no marked 
variations of soil and vegetation ; and would therefore avoid such situa- 
tions and select a region in which upheavals, or other disturbances of the 
strata, or extensive denudations, have exposed the rocks of several form- 
ations ; a country having a diversified surface ; of which, moreover, 
quite steep hill-sides presenting themselves to every aspect, and ridges 
high enough to catch every breeze, form much the greater part. 

In such a country, having the climate and soil before noted, flocks 
find variety of natural food. In the winter, and at night, they find 



shelter in the valleys ; and at those times when heat and flies distress 
and annoy flocks confined to flat pastures they find comfort and safety 
on the hills and ridges. 

He would have an ample growth of timber suitable for fencing, and 
for manufacture into building stuff, and there would be large areas of 
"woods pasture" for his flocks. 

He would not have his "ranch" immediately alongside of a busy 
line of railroad, nor immediately upon any great navigable river, but in 
a quiet district within a few miles of both railway and river. 

For convenience in shipping stock and produce, and receiving sup- 
plies, he would prefer to own a short branch railway extending from his 
headquarters to some trunk line by means of which he could reach any 
one of several great markets for sheep, lambs and wool. 

As New York is the great market of the country for fat lambs and 
sheep, and as Boston is the great market for wool, he would like to be 
as near as practicable to those cities, and so situated as to be able to 
reach either of them by either of two or more lines of transportation 
so to command rates of freight .lower than he could otherwise secure. 

He would wish, also, to have unrestricted access to other cities, and 
to be situated as centrally as possible. 

Everything else being equal he would of course select that tract 
costing less money than any other, but in estimating the actual value of 
a property would give due weight to the fact that if situated in a settled 
neighborhood of well-to-do farmers the land derives a certain value 
from its surroundings in that regard. 

He would like to get his lands at a low price, certainly ; but for the 
advantage of having about him an industrious and law-abiding people, 
as for the further advantage of settling in a district where, as a conse- 
quence of prudent administration, the tax-rate is very low, he would be 
willing to make fair compensation. 

Lands of his selection would be amply watered by wholesome streams 
and never-failing springs ; but no part of his territory would be subject 
to inundation by any overflow of the streams. 



His flocks would have ample range on dry, clean, hilly ground, and 
good pasturage elevated above malarial influences. 

Foot-rot, "foot and mouth disease," "fluke," "scab," and the 
ravages of the bot fly, {oestrus ovis,) would be unkown on his lands ; be- 
cause in the fly season the sheep would avoid the winged pest by keeping 
to the breezy hill ranges ; and the diseases would not exist simply because 
the conditions that give rise to those diseases would not exist anywhere 
on his property. The natural conditions would all be favorable to the 
health of his flock, and he would be careful to enhance the beneficial 
effects of those conditions by management such as experience has shown 
to be necessary to the most successful handling of large flocks. We 
shall presently outline the course of management that our experienced 
and judicious farmer would follow. 

If our intending purchaser were to find that, in addition to the desir- 
able conditions mentioned, the well-wooded hills of the property that is 
offered him contain ample deposits of excellent building stone, and of 
lime stone ; and great stores of good coal readily accessible by the pro- 
cess of "drifting," which, as compared with that of "shafting," is simple 
and inexpensive ; and that by a boring of moderate depth he can pro- 
cure a brine of fair strength, from which by use of his cheap coal as fuel 
he can profitably manufacture salt, he would, no doubt, acknowledge 
himself thoroughly suited. 

One would say that our sheep farmer prospecting for a location would 
hardly find, anywhere, a situation affording every one of the several 
desirable conditions above described ; and, in fact, he could not find 
such a situation anywhere except in Northeastern Kentucky ; and in all 
Northeastern Kentucky there is no tract that answers all his demands as 
fully and satisfactorily as do the Raccoon Lands, of which we assert, 
simply, that they precisely meet every requirement that we have set forth, 
and possess every feature that we have suggested as desirable in a tract to 
be applied to the business in question. 

Of the two maps accompanying this pamphlet one shows the position 
of the Raccoon Lands in relation to lines of rail and water transporta- 



tion ; the other is a map of the lands, laid down from the actual surveys, 
the green tint on which indicates areas covered by timber of the original 
growth ; the yellow tint shows woodlands bearing second growth, and 
the brown tint distinguishes cleared lands, — pasture and arable lands 
under fence. 

The lands lie just south of the Ohio River, in Greenup county, Ken- 
tucky, and comprise, altogether, 10,902 acres or more, of which 9,842 
acres lie between the Little Sandy River, on the east, and Tygart's Creek 
on the west ; and 1,060 acres lie on the west side of Tygart's Creek. 

From the extreme eastern point of the lands, (near Little Sandy,) to 
the western boundary of the 9,842 acres, (on Tygart's,) the distance is 
about five (5) miles ; and from the extreme northern point to the ex- 
treme southern point of this part of the property the distance is about 
six (6) miles. 

The 1,060 acre lot, on the west side of Tygart's, is separated from the 
main body of the lands by an interval of something more than a mile, 
and contains no cleared land. In view of these facts alone we should 
not consider this lot a desirable addition to the main body of the lands ; 
but as the outlying lot is covered throughout by a handsome growth of 
original timber, and is consequently a particularly valuable part of the 
property, we would take advantage of the offer that includes this with 
the other lands at one price per acre for the whole. 

The town of Greenup, the county seat of Greenup county, lies on 
the Ohio River, 135 miles, (as the river runs,) above Cincinnati. 

Riverton, the northern terminous of the Eastern Kentucky Railway, 
lies above, and immediately adjoining Greenup. 

The distance, by the highway, from the steamboat landing at Green- 
up to a central point of the Raccoon Lands is about six miles. 

Argillite station on the Eastern Kentucky Railway is six miles out 
from Riverton, and from that station to a central point of the Raccoon 
tract the distance, by highway, is about three and one-half miles. 

Argillite station is on the east side of Little Sandy River, as is also 
the town of Greenup, while the lands are on the west side of that stream; 



but there is a new and thoroughly built bridge across the river on each 
of the highways above indicated. 

The Eastern Kentucky Railway extends from Riverton, on the Ohio 
River, southward to Grayson, the county seat of Carter County, 23 
miles ; and thence to Willard, eleven miles further south. 

Within three years this road, under arrangements already made, will 
have been extended to a connection with the Norfolk & Western, and 
East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia system of railways, the lines of 
which lie along the great limestone valley that traverses uninterruptedly 
the States of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia 
and Tennessee, and forms a natural highway between the Northern and 
Southern States that is now occupied by a continuous line of railway 
extending from New York to New Orleans. 

This connection will give shippers over the Eastern Kentucky Rail- 
way a route to the important new ocean shipping port of Newport News, 
in addition to the one that they now have by way of the Chesapeake & 
Ohio Railroad, as well as direct access by rail to the several seaports of 
Savannah, Ga., Charleston, S. C, and Wilmigton, N. C, each of which 
will be in the near future a market and entrepot for the products of 
Northeastern Kentucky. 

At a point between Grayson and Willard the Elizabethtown, Lex- 
ington & Big Sandy Railroad crosses,- and makes connection with, the 
Eastern Kentucky Railroad. 

The Lexington & Big Sandy road is a part of the main line of the 
Chesapeake & Ohio system which extends from Washington and New- 
port News to Cincinnati, Lexington, Louisville and Memphis ; and has 
connection with St. Louis via the Louisville & Nashville, and Louisville, 
Evansville & St. Louis roads. 

By this route the distance from St. Louis to a first-class sea port, 
Newport News, is 100 miles less than that from St. Louis to New York 
by the shortest existing rail line. 

The position of the Raccoon Lands is about 100 miles east from the 
point designated by the statisticians as the "centre of population" of 
the whole country. 



This point is one mile south from the Ohio River, eight miles west 
by south from the heart of the city of Cincinnati, in latitude 39° 04', and 
longitude 84° 39'; but about hZ per cent, of the aggregate population of 
the country is found east of the longitude named, and about QO per cent. 
north of the latitude named. 

The population of the states lying east from Ohio and West Virginia, 
and north from Virginia, including the District of Columbia, M^as in 1880 
15,619,974 or something more than 31 per cent, of the aggregate popula- 
tion of the United States. 

The county of Greenup, Kentucky, in which the lands in question 
lie, is very nearly central to that part of the United States lying east 
from the Mississippi River. 

A straight line drawn, on an accurate map of the country, from 
Chicago to Wilmington, N. C, passes through Greenup County ; as 
does, likewise, a similar line drawn from Toledo to Savannah, Georgia, 
or from Buffalo to New Orleans; or from St. Louis to Richmond; or 
from Portland to Memphis, or from Cairo, Illinois, to Philadelphia. 

By an air-line the Raccoon Lands are distant from Boston about 650 
miles ; from New York 475 miles ; from Philadelphia 425 miles ; from 
Baltimore 340 miles; from Norfolk' 370 miles ; from Wilmington, N. C, 
400 miles; from Chicago 325 miles; from St. Louis 375 miles. 

From Argillite station on the Eastern Kentucky Railroad, which is, 
as before stated, about 3^ miles distant from a central point in the Rac- 
coon Lands, actual " all rail " distances are as here given, viz : 

By way of the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad. 

To Newport News (ocean steamship port,) 542 miles. 

To New York, via Gordonsville & Baltimore, 724 " 

To Boston (boat car transfer at New York City,) 951 " 

To Baltimore,. 536 " 

To Philadelphia, 634 " 

At Newport News grain elevators and all the appliances necessary to 
the handling of freights of every kind are already provided, and this 



10 

place will within a few years be sought by exporters of grain and live 
stock in preference to any other Atlantic port. 

From Haverhill station, on the Scioto Valley Railroad, on the north 
side of the Ohio River, seven miles from Raccoon Furnace, " all rail" 
distances are : 

To New York, via B. & O. R. R., (Parkersburg route,) .. .723 miles. 

" " via Erie Railway, (Salamanca route,) 860 " 

" " ?;/^ Lake Shore Railway, (Buffalo route,). 849 " 

" " OTd! Pennsylvania Railway, (Pittsburgh,) 742 " 

" Boston, via Lake Shore, (Buffalo & Albany,) 924 " 

" via Pennsylvania Railway, (New York,) 969 " 

From Lexington, Kentucky, a central point of the ''Blue Grass" 
country, to New York via Cincinnati and the Lake Shore route, the dis- 
tance is 951 miles ; and by way of the Pennsylvania lines, 857 miles. 

From Chicago to New York via Pennsylvania lines, the distance is 
912 miles ; via the Lake Shore route, 979 miles, and via the Baltimore & 
Ohio lines, 1,035 miles. 

The Eastern Kentucky Railway Company, in association with the 
Scioto Valley Railroad Company, has commenced the construction of a 
boat car transfer between Riverton and Haverhill. With this in opera- 
tion shipments from "Raccoon" for points north of the Ohio River 
would be made at Argillite station. 

From the foregoing tables of distances we gather that stock from 
Raccoon shipped at Argillite and going via the Chesapeake & Ohio route, 
may reach Boston with no more travel than that borne by stock going 
from Lexington to New York via the Lake Shore route ; that from 
Argillite to New York via the Chesapeake & Ohio the rail distance is 227 
miles less than that from Lexington to New York via the Lake Shore, and 
133 miles less than that from Lexington to New York via the Pennsylvania 
route; that the rail distance from Haverhill to New York via the Balti- 
more & Ohio route is 189 miles less than that from Chicago to New 
York by the Pennsylvania route, and 312 miles less than that from 
Chicago to New York by the Baltimore & Ohio route ; and that stock 
from Raccoon destined for export may reach ocean shipping port with 



11 

no more than 542 miles rail transportation ; which is 370 miles less 
than that from Chicago to New York, and 315 miles less than that from 
Lexington to New York by the shortest line north of the Ohio River. 

A line is now in process of construction from Wheeling down the 
Ohio River to Point Pleasant, and the Cincinnati Eastern is in pro- 
gress from Cincinnati, via Portsmouth, to Point Pleasant. 

With this new line in operation still another route, shorter than the 
existing "Pennsylvania" lines, will be accessible by shipments from 
Raccoon. 

Raccoon is so situated that it is not dependent on any one route ■ 
for transportation facilities. It will rank with the Freight Agents as a 
"competing point." . 

The Ohio River steamers afford an entirely practicable means for 
reaching those trunk lines which, except for the facilities afforded by the 
river, might be fenced off by intervening pieces of road. 

This matter of a situation from which unrestricted access to any one 
of several rail routes may be had was named seventh in order in the 
enumeration, hereinbefore made, of the conditions that a sheep and 
stock farmer seeking a location would wish to secure. 

Having shown how thoroughly well the Raccoon Lands are situated 
in this regard, let us see what claims to preference they have in the 
other directions specified. 

As preface to the statements that he has to make concerning the cli- 
mate, soil, mineral deposits, and the resources generally, of Greenup 
county at large and of the Raccoon tract in particular, the writer ex- 
plains that during something more than four years — from the spring of 
1866 to the autumn of 1870 — he was a resident of the county named, 
engaged as engineer for the corporation now known as the Eastern Ken- 
tucky Railway Company, which company owns a large territory lying 
east and south of, and with one of its lines adjoining, the Raccoon tract ; 
and that he is well acquainted with the Raccoon property, having in his 
capacity as engineer, or in prospecting for mineral, visited and examined 



12 

every part of it. He has also made surveys and precise examinations in 
every part of Greenup county and in contiguous portions of each of the 
counties adjoining it, and feels warranted in claiming to have an entirely 
competent knowledge of the country of which he speaks. 

Further, he assures his readers that he has carefully considered every 
statement made in this pamphlet, and believes that no one of them con- 
veys anything that is not strictly in accordance with the facts in the 
matter to which it refers. 

Mr. H. W. Bates, Vice President of the Eastern Kentucky R'y Co., 
has been resident manager of the affairs of that company since 1869, and 
is thoroughly informed on every point concerning which the most search- 
ing inquirer for facts regarding the climate, soils, crops, natural produc- 
tions, and physical and social conditions of Northeastern Kentucky will 
be interested. Persons desiring to make independent inquiry concern- 
ing any of the matters just above mentioned may apply to Mr. Bates, 
who has kindly permitted this reference to him. 

Mr. William Carnes, of Mercer county, Pennsylvania, (address, 
Sharon, in that county), a gentlemen of large experience as a stock 
breeder and handler of sheep and wool, has, by request of the writer, 
recently examined the Raccoon tract with special regard to its adapta- 
bility to the purposes of a sheep ranch and stock farm, and his indorse- 
ment of the representations herein made on that point is herewith given. 
(Appendix A). 

Mr. Carnes made his examination in February, in order to observe 
the condition of the pasturage at the season during which it is at its 
worst, and when the country, generally, is seen under its least attractive 
aspect. 

The writer made his latest examination of the property in March, 
1883, when he rode over the tract for the purpose of viewing the timber 
now standing on it, and observing the condition of the fences and the 
farming lands and appurtenances generally. 

He made at the same time careful inquiry into all matters affecting 
the title under which the tract in question is now held, and prepared an 



13 

abstract from the county records, a copy of which paper may be had by 
any interested person applying for the same. A certificate from Hon. W. 
C. Ireland, of Ashland, Boyd County, Kentucky, late Judge in the 16th 
Judicial District of the State, to the effect that the present owners have 
an indisputable title, is given herewith (Appendix B). 

With the exception of the lot lying on the west side of Tygart's 
Creek, and containing 1,060 acres, (see map) which is part of a pur- 
chase made, by the then owners of the Raccoon property, as late as 1860, 
the tract now offered for sale is part of a territory of 32,000 acres, sold 
by the state of Virginia to James Hutchinson, by patent dated Novem- 
ber loth, 1786, and signed by the then Governor of Virginia, Patrick 
Henry. 

The original patent is in the possession of the present owners of the 
Raccoon tract, to-wit : The Raccoon Mining & Manufacturing Com- 
pany, a corporation chartered by the General Assembly of Kentucky, in 
1869, with large authority to take, acquire and hold lands and mining 
rights ; to build and operate railroads, to connect with any other rail- 
roads or to reach the Ohio River or any other navigable river of the 
State ; and to build and operate steamers or other boats such as may be 
by the company deemed necessary .for its uses. 

A copy of this charter is given in Appendix C, 

The charter and franchises of the company will pass with the fee of 
the property if desired. 

The company was organized under the charter, March 25th, 1870, 
with five corporators ; who, having previously owned the Raccoon 
tract, and operated the same as a furnace property, conveyed the lands 
and appurtenances to the chartered company. 

The fee of the property thenceforward was, and is now, in the 
corporation, all the stock of which is now held by three persons. 

E. F. Dulin, Esq., of Greenup, was elected President of the company 
at its annual meeting of December 21, 1872; and has ever since been, 
and now is, the President of the company. 

The stock of the company represents a capital of 8124,000, in shares 



14 

of SI 00 each. The lands and appurtenances were at the outset capi- 
talized at *100,000. 

Parties purchasing the property at this time may do so without incur- 
ring any obligation to continue the company organization, if they prefer 
another course ; but the franchises are valuable, more so now than ever 
before, and are well worth the small expense necessary to the main- 
tenance of the corporation to which they were granted. 

The initial point of the survey of the original Hutchinson Patent of 
32,000 acres, is at the northeast corner of the Richard Graham Patent 
of 80,4061^ acres, at "12 White Oaks." (See map.) 

From that point the line ran, S. 45° E., 'Sj\^g miles ; thence, N. 45° 
E., 6}{ miles, to a point far to the east of the stream now known as Little 
Sandy River ; thence, N. 45° W., nearly eleven miles to a point far 
west of Tygart's Creek. 

The western boundary of the tract was a broken line, coming back, 
eastward and southward, to a point in the north line of the Graham 
lands, something more than one mile northwest from the point of begin- 
ning, designated on the map as the "Black Oak Corner." 

The original patentee sold the tract to David Trimble, and about 
1834 Trimble, with two partners, built on the property the furnace 
then named, and ever since known as, the "Raccoon Furnace;" and 
began making pig iron, and, as the practice then was, salt kettles, potash 
kettles, and other castings; drawing their supplies of ore, charcoal, and 
limestone, from the lands about the furnace. 

They sold considerable areas off the tract, and succeeding owners 
have done likewise, till now only about 9,842 acres of the original 32,- 
000 remain in the tract lying about the old furnace. As before men- 
tioned, there is a lot of 1060 acres lying west of Tygart, that belongs to 
the present "Raccoon" Company. 

According to recent surveys the company owns, in the aggregate, 
10,902 acres of land. 

Of 9,842 acres of this land Trimble and his successors have had 
actual possession, continuously, for nearly fifty years. 



15 

By Kentucky law a continuous occupancy, under claim of title, for 
thirty years, cuts off all other claims whatever. 

If there were no recorded title the possession makes a title. But in 
this case the title of record is lull and perfect, the chain extending down 
from 1786. 

The lands included in the 1060 acre lot have been uninterruptedly 
held by owners of the Raccoon property since May 5th, 1860. 

In a deed of March 25th, 1870, the Raccoon tract, proper, is described 
as "bounded by the Laurel, Buffalo and Argillite tracts; and the farms 
on Tygart's and Hood's creeks, and by the farms on Sandy, Raccoon 
and Alcorn ; and by "the tract sold to Keuborth." 

The boundary of the tract sold to Keuborth (see map) is exactly 
defined by the deed to Keuborth, dated June 30, 1868 ; Recorded in Book 
P, page 541, Greenup county records. 

The line along the "Laurel" lands, now owned by Joshua Kelley, is 
part of one of the lines of the original Hutchinson Patent, as is also 
one of the lines between Raccoon and the "Buffalo" lands, now owned 
by John Armstrong. 

The lines between Raccoon and the Buffalo and Argillite tracts 
respectively, have been fixed by a method prescribed by the laws of 
Kentucky, known as "processioning." Under this process a board of 
three "processioners," of which the County Surveyor for the time being 
is, ex officio, one, is, on petition of a party in interest, appointed by 
the county court to survey and report upon any lines an official estab- 
lishment of which is desired by such party. This board views the lines 
in question, takes evidence on the ground, traces old marked lines, and 
finally establishes and marks out the ascertained boundaries. The 
report of this board is made in writing to the Court ordering the "pro- 
cessioning," and is filed to await objections. In absence of objections 
the report is approved, and the lines marked as aforesaid are thereby 
established. And, in any case, the lines indicated by the report and 
the record of the survey, made after due notice to all parties interested 
are, after the filing of the report, prima facie the proper lines. 

On application of the then owners of the Raccoon property the tract 



16 

was processioned during the winter of 1859-60, and the report of the 
board was filed in the Recorder's office, April 2d, 1860. 

The line between the Raccoon lands and the Argillite tract, owned 
by the Eastern Kentucky R. R. Co., was surveyed and marked out anew 
by a board of processioners, in the winter of 1866-67. 

Nothing appears to show that there was any controversy between the 
parties interested, as to position of the lines in the cases named. The 
object in each case was to have the lines exactly defined. 

The more recent surveys, above spoken of, developed no claim 
adverse to the maintenance by the Raccoon Company of the lines shown 
by the map herewith. But, notwithstanding the fact that there is no 
controversy concerning any line of the property, the company will, for 
the satisfaction of a purchaser desiring such further definition of the 
lands, make an entire re-survey and new map of the tract, and sell and 
warrant by the lines of such survey and revised description. 

Of the 9,842 acres lying east of Tygart's Creek about 800 acres are 
cleared lands, mostly fenced and in good condition for farming pur- 
poses. 

On the accompanying map the farming lands, and timber and 
second growth, are shown by distinguishing colors. 

A body of about 450 acres of cleared land lies along Raccoon 
Creek, on which the old Raccoon Furnace is situated. Other bodies, 
of from 20 to 100 acres each, lie on the watersheds of Alcorn, Oldtown, 
and other creeks and runs. 

Raccoon and Alcorn creeks have each a course of about four miles, 
and derive all their waters from the springs and drainage of the Rac- 
coon tract. 

Considered with reference to watersheds, the tract east of Tygart's 
Creek is made up of four natural divisions, viz : the watershed tribu- 
tary to Tygart's Creek; that tributary to Alcorn Creek; that tributary 
to Raccoon Creek, and that from which the waters flow into Oldtown 
Creek and Clay Lick. 



17 

Of these the Alcorn division is soriiewhat the larger, but in actual 
acreage the several divisions are practically equal. 

In the management of the property as a sheep and stock farm each 
of these natural divisions may be very conveniently maintained as a 
*'range" separate and distinct from the others. 

The Alcorn division, about 2,600 acres, is almost entirely timber land. 
On something more than 1,300 acres of this division the original 
growth of timber is standing, intact. 

From the other 1,300 acres most of the larger timber has been re. 
moved. Under a contract with the Raccoon Company a lumbering 
firm put saw-mills into this tract in the winter of 1881-82. They were 
to take out all the trees of fourteen inches, or more, in diameter. They 
built a very good wooden tramway (shown on map) on which they 
hauled their lumber to Little Sandy River, at a point near the mouth of 
Alcorn Creek, whence they made shipments by barge to Cincinnati, 
Huntington, and other points on the Ohio. 

From March 1st to about June 15th, and at times in the winter 
months. Little Sandy is navigable by large barges from Argillite to its 
confluence with the Ohio. 

The firm in question built a store-house and several dwellings for 
their men at and near their principal mill (see map). They ceased 
operations in August, 1883. The tram-road, as far as it lies on the Rac- 
coon lands, and the buildings aforesaid, are, by the terms of the contract, 
now the property of the Raccoon Company ; as are, also, all the timber 
and logs remaining on the said tract on Alcorn at the time of the close 
of operations. 

The tram-road cost about $300 per mile; about $125 per mile for 
ties, rails and track laying, and $175 per mile for grading, trestling and 
bridging. 

The trestling and bridging will be serviceable for several years to 
come, but for continued operations new ties and rail-stuff will be 
needed. The right-of-way through lands outside of Raccoon, on the 



18 

route now occupied, may be had at any time at entirely reasonable 
rental. 

The buildings above spoken of are very plain, board structures, but 
nevertheless afford comfortable and ample accommodations for several 
families. 

There are also stables and sheds sufficient for the stalling of a large 
number of working-cattle, and the storage of hay and feed for them. 

The territory on which the firm in question operated still carries 
merchantable timber enough to pay the cost of clearing up and putting 
in grass the entire area that now lies in that rough and brush-encum- 
bered condition in which a lumbering gang usually leaves its field of 
operations. 

One crop of corn from this new land will more than pay for the land 
and the cost of clearing. 

At the head, and along the valley, of Oldtown Creek there is a large 
area of original timber, and north of the fiirnace there are two smaller 
lots of like timber. 

In the tract east of Tygart's Creek there are about 2,000 acres, alto- 
gether, of original timber, intact; and the 1,060 acre lot west of Tygart's 
is all under the original growth. A detailed description of this timber, 
and an estimate of its value are given further on. 

The bed of Raccoon Creek at the site of the furnace is about 125 
feet above low water-mark at the mouth of Little Sandy River, and the 
tops of the highest ridges in the vicinity of the furnace are about 425 
feet above the base named, or 300 feet above the bed of the creek. 

Draw on the map a continuous meandering line dividing equally the 
space between the heads of the several branches of Raccoon Creek and 
those of Clay Lick, Oldtown Creek, Hood's Run and Alcorn Creek, re- 
spectively, and you have marked part of the course of the main ridge of 
the tract. 

A similar line drawn between the heads of Alcorn Creek and those 
of Buck Run and NichoU's Branch gives the course of another part of 
the main ridge. The line of Keuborth's land is another ridge-line. 



19 

Lateral spurs from the main ridges are very numerous. Much the 
greater part of the surface of the tract is made up of ridges, spurs, and 
their quite abrupt slopes. 

The valleys of the larger creeks, however, afford a large aggregate 
area of plane, meadow-like land, very fertile under cultivation, but not 
more so than the slopes, from which, indeed, the soil of the bottom 
lands is derived, having been carried down from the slopes by gravita- 
tion. 

The rocks of the Raccoon tract are those of the coal measures of 
Eastern Kentucky. These rocks have an aggregate thickness of about 
900 feet. They rest on the sub-carboniferous limestone, or, where that 
is wanting, on the lower carboniferous sandstone and shale, and decline 
from west to east at the rate of about 27 feet per mile, without any con- 
siderable "disturbances," although there are considerable variations in 
the thickness of the members respectively. 

The sub-carboniferous limestone varies from to 100 ft. in thickness, 
and in Greenup county is in many places wanting entirely. There is 
no trace of it at the mouth of Little Sandy River, but on Tygart's Creek 
it is from 80 to 100 ft. thick. It rests on the Waverly sandstone form- 
ation, which has a thickness of 400 feet in Greenup county. 

On Tygart's Creek the top of the Waverly sandstone is about 216 
feet above the "low water mark at mouth of Little Sandy" base. At the 
mouth of Little Sandy it is about 20 feet above that base. The Waverly 
sandrock is a fine building stone and has a first rate reputation as such. 
A section of the rocks of Raccoon, commencing on the ^^'averly as a 
base, shows: (a) sub-carboniferous limestone, thin whcR^ not entirely 
wanting; (3) sub-conglomerate shales, about 50 feet thick, in which is a 
thin vein of coal ; (c) fire clay, 4 to 6 feet thick ; non-plastic, of fine 
quality; largely used for making fire-brick at Scioto and elsewhere ; (d) 
conglomerate formation ; coarse sandstone ; "pebble rock ;" varying in 
thickness from 1 to 100 feet; (<?) shale series, 60 to 100 feet thick, in 
which are several veins of iron ore and a vein of valuable coal (No. 1) ; 
(/) sandstone series, from the shales to top of hills, in which are two 



20 

veins of iron ore and two of coal (Nos. 2 and 3, respectively), and a 
stratum of refractory sandstone, known locally as "hearth rock," hereto- 
fore much used for the crucibles and hearths of blast furnaces. 

About 100 feet below the general level of the hill tops there is a 
stratum of friable sandstone about 20 feet thick, readily disintegrating 
where the edges are exposed to the weather. 

The crumbling away of this rock results in the maintenance of that 
desirable equable slope of the face of the hill generally prevalent on the 
Raccoon tract. 

In some parts of the county where this stratum does not occur the 
hill-sides are precipitous and consequently useless for farming purposes. 

Coal No. 1, above named, is found in the bed of Raccoon Creek 
within a few rods of the furnace, and has there a thickness of 30 inches, 
as developed by recent examination during which some 50 tons were 
mined. 

In his report of the geology of Greenup county, A. R. Crandall, 
Assistant State Geologist, says of this coal : "From its wide range and 
its quality it will prove one of the most valuable in Eastern Kentucky. 
* * * So far as developed it has a local uniformity which promises 
to make mining easy and profitable. * * At Raccoon furnace it is 
30 inches thick. * * * This coal is no exception to the general 
rule as to variation in quality at different points. It ranks with the best 
coals, however." 

The coal designated in the above named report as "Coal No. 1," is 
equivalent to the block coal mined in Mercer county, Pennsylvania^ 
and in the vicinity of Youngstown, Ohio, designated in the Pennsylva- 
nia Reports as the "Sharon" coal, and in the Ohio Reports as "Coal 
No. 1." It is widely known in the markets as "Brier Hill" coal. In 
Chicago it has received the name of "Erie" coal. In that market it 
commands a price about 25 per cent, higher than that of the best Hock- 
ing Valley coals. 

But, as Mr. Crandall says, the question of the relation of the natural 
divisions of the coal measures found in Kentucky to those found ia 



21 

localities widely separated from that field, "may be left for future con- 
sideration." The fact remains that the No. 1 coal found at Raccoon 
"ranks with the best coals." It has been traced over about 5,000 acres 
of the tract. 

Coal No. 2 is of less importance than No. 1, It is, however, of 
workable thickness on the Raccoon lands, and of very good quality. 
Greatest thickness 30 inches ; specific gravity 1.3; volatile combustible 
matter 34.6 ; fixed carbon 55.25 ; Ash 4,8; sulphur, 1.4. Strictly "aver- 
age" specimen of the vein. 

Coal No. 3, at Raccoon called the "Top Hill" coal; generally 
known as the "Turkey I.ick" coal ; is quite uniformly three feet in thick- 
ness, with a thin "parting." It is a good domestic coal. Specific 
gravity, 1,3; volatiles 34,96 ; fixed carbon 55,54; ash 5,4 ; sulphur, 1,6. 

Coal No, 1 properly mined would yield not less than 3,500 net tons 
to the acre, and has qualities that will enable it to compete successfully 
with other coals in the Cincinnati market. To convey this coal to water 
navigable by large barges, a tramway of only about two miles in length 
would be needed, which road would have a continuous and regular de- 
scent from the mine to the little Sandy River. We may reasonably esti- 
mate the coal in question to be worth a royalty of six cents per ton, at 
which rate it represents a value of at least $210 per acre. 

Of the very valuable cannel coal found in several places in Greenup 
county, a three foot trace has been discovered on the Raccoon lands, 
but no development made. 

The ores of the tract have for many years been worked at Raccoon 
furnace, yielding iron of an excellent quality, but in the present view of 
the properly they are not considered as of appreciable value. 

The old furnace stack is considered of no value except as containing 
a large quantity of good building stone. 

The blowing engine and boilers remain in place as used when the 
furnace was last in blast, and are, apparently, still fit for service. 

The manager's house, standing near the furnace, has been continu- 
ously occupied by persons in charge of the property, and is in good 



22 

condition. A "store" building near it is in fair condition for occupa- 
tion. 

The position of each of a considerable number of log houses stand- 
ing on the tract, is shown on the map. 

Several of these houses are now occupied by tenants-at-will of the 
company. Most of them are in fair condition. Parties purchasing the 
property for use as a sheep farm would find these houses to be sufficient, 
with some repairs in the way of roofing, for the accommodation of their 
employees for some years to come. 

In a country in which there is a range of elevation as considerable 
as that noted above as existing at Raccoon one may expect to find, 
other conditions being favorable thereto, a corresponding variety in the 
forest growth; and here we have, accordingly, a thrifty growth of each 
of many kinds of valuable timber trees. 

On the crests of the ridges, and on the higher "knobs," the large, 
straight, smooth-barked yellow pine grows to perfection. 

The chestnut-oak, valuable for its bark as well as for its timber, oc- 
cupies a belt just below the pines. In the heads of the hollows the 
yellow poplar, of very large and handsome growth, is found in groups. 

Below the chestnut-oak stand the white-oak, pin-oak and post-oak. 
The chestnut, hickory, linden, ash, elm and sycamore range below the 
oaks, in quite regular succession as named. The sugar maple is plenti- 
fully found, as are also the less valuable buckeye and beech. This is 
the original timber. In the second growth the hickory and oak pre- 
dominate, but there are large groves of second-growth pine, which under 
the care of an experienced forester will be, within a few years, im- 
mensely valuable. 

Much of the second growth is already more than 20 years old ; and 
here the growth is rapid, while owing to the character of the soil and 
the lay of the land the timber made is compact and firm. 

Of "bending stuff," for carriage makers' use, the hickories offer an 
almost endless supply. 

Parties who have operated largely in lumbering on lands adjoining 






23 

Raccoon, and who have lately visited the Raccoon lands, have exam- 
ined the subjoined estimate of the timber that may be got off the 2,000 
acres of original growth aforesaid, and say that the actual yield will be 
in excess of the estimate. 

The 2,000 acres will afford, per acre : 

Of oak, car-timber, bill-stuff and plank ...4,000 ft. B. M. 

Of yellow-poplar boards, etc., for agricultural machine 

works 1,500 ft. " 

Of hickory for wagon and buggy-stuff 1,000 ft. 

Of "seconds" lumber, of varioi^ kinds — 2,000 ft. " 

Of railroad ties, hewed 25 

The oak stuff is worth, at Dayton, Ohio, for instance. . .12 V 00 per M. 

The poplar 26 00 

The hickory 25 00 

Let the cost of logging and sawing be per M 16 50 

Hauling per tramway to Little Sandy 1 00 

Boating to Haverhill 2 00 

Hauling to cars (about one mile) 1 00 

Assorting and hauling, generally... '75 

Insurance and incidentals .- 1 00 

And the cost on the cars at Haverhill is ^12 25 

With the rate of freight from Haverhill to Dayton, 9c. per 100 
lbs., and rating all stuff at 5,000 lbs. per M. the freight 
charge is, per M 4 50 

Total $16 75 

The 4,000 ft. of oak at $27 -- $108 00 

The 1,500 ft. of poplar at 126 39 00 

The 1,000 ft. of Hickory at *25 - - 25 00 

6,500 ft --- --- $172 00 

Cost of 6,500 ft. delivered at Dayton 108 87 

Net proceeds, per acre, on above stuff. $ 63 13 

The 2,000 ft. "seconds" are worth, net, at the mill about ll 

per M 2 00 

The 25 ties are worth 40c. each at the Ohio River, $10 00; less 

hauling, $3 50, and hewing, $2 50 4 00 

Thus we have net proceeds per acre $ 69 13 



24 

At this rate the 2,000 acres represents a net value of $138,260. 

After some 600 acres of the 1,300 acres, before mentioned, of the 
Raccoon tract had been about two-thirds cut over, leaving everything 
under fourteen inches in diameter, the actual yield had been 766,700 ft. 
of poplar, and 1,;33,000 ft. of oak. At this rate the entire yield was 
somewhat greater in value than that named in the estimate. 

The yellow pine on the same tract will net about $3,000 additional, 
and we have not touched the chestnut, ash, elm, linden and sycamore, 
each of which has a well established niarket value, and is in large de- 
mand. 

The railroad freight rate named is that actually paid by recent opera 
tors. 

Better terms may now be had. Or by hauling the lumber to Argil- 
lite all-rail transportation is to be had to Dayton and other like points, 
the cost of which would be but little, if at all, greater than that by the 
routes heretofore used. 

The marketing of this lumber at a point distant from the place of 
production, and not directly accessible by rail or river, renders neces- 
sary the employment of agents who, under simpler conditions, would not 
be needed, and of course increases labor and risks of several kinds ; but 
the net proceeds of the more complicated transaction are much better 
than those to be realized through sales to middlemen. 

Fair to good oak by the boat-load is worth $16 to $18 per 1,000 ft,, 
at Cincinnati, on board boat. Poplar, $20. 

Pine dimension stuff at Huntington, $24 per M,; plank $18. 

Dimension pine is worth $19 to $20 per M., on boat at Greenup. 

The lot west of Tygart's Creek carries timber similar to that speci- 
fied as found on the main tract, but will not yield quite as much per 
acre. With a railroad in operation along Tygart, however, the value of 
the timber on the west lot will be as great, area for area, as that on the 
east tract; and such a railroad will within a few years be built, either as 



25 

an extension of the Scioto Valley road, from Portsmouth, or as a 
branch of the road that is to occupy the south bank of the Ohio from 
Ashland to Covington, opposite Cincinnati. 

Of the 9,842 acres east of Tygart's there rr-e. r^c wp have seen. 9 ono 
in original timber, 1,300 partially cleared of large timber, and 800 rated 
as farming lands; leaving about 5,742 acres under second growth. 

On certain parts of this last named territory the growth should be 
slashed, and burned on the ground, and the land seeded with pasture 
grasses. 

Much the greater part of it, however, has now a crop of thrifty 
trees, and under the care of the forester will soon begin to yield market- 
able timber. 

Almost all the territory not rated as farming lands affords excellent 
range for stock. 

The soil of the Raccoon tract, derived as it is from the coal measure 
rocks, is a sandy loam, produced by the mingling of the clayey loam 
coming from the shales with the sandy material coming from the super- 
imposed sandstone series. The result of this admixture is a deep, dry 
soil, containing an unusually large proportion of potash, and capable of 
producing, for several successive years, without the aid of fertilizers, good 
crops of tobacco, or of corn and the other cereals. 

Excellent pasture grasses of several kinds grow spontaneously every- 
where on the tract, and the cultivated lands produce heavy crops of hay, 
four tons to the acre being a not unusual yield. 

The tract, and each natural division of it, is thoroughly well watered, 
and in the very dryest seasons stock on any part of the land can with 
but little travel reach good drmking places. 

Greenup county is in about 38° 30' N. latitude. The mean annual 
temperature is 55° Fahrenheit. The annual rainfall is from 48 to 55 
inches. 

Low water mark at the mouth of Little Sandy River is 485 feet above 



26 

tide and 88 feet below the surface of Lake Erie. The^valley of Raccoon 
Creek at the furnace is about 600 feet above tide and 27 feet above the 
level of the surface of Lake Erie. 

Chautauqua Lake surface is 1297 feet above tide and 724 feet above 
Lake Erie. The elevations above tide of several points, selected as fairly- 
indicating the altitude of the general surface of the district immediately 
about them are, respectively, as follows : 

Point about 80 miles southwest from Cleveland, and 7 miles east from 
Galion, Ohio, 1,373 feet. 

Point on line of New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio R. R., near State 
line between Pennsylvania and New York, 1,547 feet. 

Plateau lying about 30 miles south from Lake Erie, east of a line 
drawn south from Cleveland, 1,100 to 1,200 feet. 

Low water mark at Pittsburgh is 699 feet above tide ; so the Ohio 
River falls 214 feet in its course from Pittsburgh to the mouth of Little 
Sandy. 

As indicated by the figures given, the valley of Raccoon Creek at the 
furnace lies 773 feet lower than the country just east of Galion, Ohio; 
and 550 feet lower than the average level of that portion of the "Western 
Reserve" above designated. 

Situated as it is with regard to latitude, altitude and geological 
position, the Raccoon tract enjoys the happy results of a combination 
of favoring influences hardly to be found elsewhere. Certainly no such 
combination is to be found in any district as well situated as Raccoon 
is, its position in relation to markets and means of transportation, and 
the political and social status of the country around it, being considered. 

The climate of Greenup county is equable and temperate. Summer 
heats are never excessive, and although there are occasional cold 
"snaps" in winter they are always brief, and, so far from being of 
injury to anything, are distinctly of benefit in various ways. 

Snow seldom falls to a depth of more than an inch or two, and 
rarely lies on the ground for more than a few hours. 



27 ■ 

Thousands of cattle, horses, mules, sheep and swine winter in the 
open fields and woodlands without artificial shelter of any kind, and 
with only such food as they find for themselves, and come out in the 
spring in good condition. This is especially the case with sheep, many 
flocks of which pass the entire winter in the woodlands. Their lambs 
dropped as early as in the latter part of February are well grown and in 
good case for market at a time when, in middle Ohio and regions in 
about that latitude and altitude, very young lambs are staggering about 
in sleety and sodden fields. 

Mr. A. C. Van Dyke, of Greenup, when operating "Buffalo" furnace 
some years ago, bought 40 sheep, for which he paid $40. They ranged 
on the lands adjoining Raccoon, taking care of themselves entirely. 
They were never fed and never "rounded up," except for shearing. 
Each year a liberal draft was made on the flock for lamb and mutton. 
The number thus killed in a period of ten years aggregated about 550. 
At the end of ten years from the purchase, Mr, Van Dyke sold the flock 
(number unknown) in a lot for $400, and during the ten years had sold 
wool to the amount of $1,970. 

The sheep were of the kind commonly found in Greenup and the 
neighboring counties; a mongrel race, but with well shaped and large 
bodies, carrying good fleeces of a wool much above the medium in the 
several qualities desirable in that staple. The animals are very hardy, 
and disease among them is practically unknown in this region. 

Mr. Van Dyke's experience is given as a perfectly fair indication of 
the suitableness of the climate, soil, natural vegetation and other condi- 
tions found in Greenup county, to the peculiar wants and habits of the 
sheep. The writer has received from several residents of the county 
statements equally as satisfying on this point, and he knows from per- 
sonal observation that the conditions mainly important in this connec- 
tion do exist at Raccoon. 

Greenup county, with an area of about 240,000 acres, had in 1880 a 
population of 13,371; white, 12,932; colored, 439; native, 13,131; 
foreign-born, 240. Natives of Germany, 155; of Ireland, 37; other 
foreign-born, 48. 



28 

Of immigrants from Virginia there were 804, and from Ohio 1,291. 

The improved lands aggregated some 53,550 acres, or about 22 per 
cent, of the area of the county, the assessed value of which, including 
buildings, etc., was $1,365,438, or an average of about $25 50 per acre. 
The assessed value of real estate in the county was $1,607,069; of per- 
sonal property, $500,575; aggregate, $2,107,614. 

The net bonded debt of the county was $33,155; (since reduced) 
the floating debt, $10. 

In 1880 the taxes levied were, State, $9,590; county, $12,944; city, 
town, and school-district, $1,682; total, A24,216, or about $11 50 per 
$1,000 of assessed value. 

In Kentucky, as a State, the rate per $1,000 was $14 83; in Massa- 
chusetts, $15 35; in Ohio, $16 So; and in New York, $21 26. 

Corporations in Kentucky pay no taxes except on property held by 
them. 

The property of a corporation is assessed for county purposes by the 
assessor of the county; an elective officer. 

Lands are commonly rated at about one quarter of their actual cash 
value. 

The corporation lists its property in a report to the Auditor of State, 
who bases his valuation of it upon the report of the county assessor for 
the current, or previous, year. 

The state tax is uniformly 45^ cents on $100 of value; 20c. of this 
goes to the maintenance of the State government; 25c. to support of 
common schools, and one-half cent to the free agricultural college of 
the State. 

The State tax paid by the Raccoon Company for 1877 was $101 25; 
for 1878, $76 72; for 1879, $81 90; for 1880, $91 00; for 1881 , $91 90, 
and for 1882, $118 00. 

The county tax for 1882 was 84^c. per $100; of this 25c. was special 
levy to pay off county debt, and about 16c. a special levy for bridges. 

The county tax for five years has averaged about 50 cents per $100 



29 

of value, and Raccoon has paid on this account very nearly the amount 
paid as State tax as above specified. 

In Greenup county there were, in June, 1880 : 

Of horses 1,772 

Of mules 544 

2,316 

Of Oxen. 305 

Of cows 1,839 

Other cattle 3,455 

5,599 

Sheep, exc. of spring lambs 2,934 

Swine .10,182 

The crops of 1879 were : 

Barley 6,598 bushels. 

Corn 379,276 

Oats 44,439 

Rye 1,909 

Wheat 63,429 

Irish potatoes 39,687 

Sweet potatoes -- 3,048 

Tobacco.. . 21,693 pounds. 

Hay -. 1,769 tons. 

Value of fertilizers used $155 

The use of oats for feeding horses and working-cattle is not general. 
Corn on the ear is the common "feed." 

Obviously the neat-cattle and sheep got very little hay. The whole 
crop of 1879 was only enough to give each horse and mule in the 
county about 5 yi pounds per diem for the year. 

Still the farmers were not improvident; they raised all the hay 
needed. The stock-cattle and sheep found a good living in the pastures 
and wooded ranges. 

The soil and climate of this part of the country are well suited to 
the thrifty growth of tobacco, but until recently no attention had been 
given to this crop. 



30 

Now, however, it is quite largely cultivated and yields handsome re- 
turns for all labor expended on it. In 1882 the crop of Greenup county 
amounted to 153,000 pounds. 

In 1880 Kentucky produced 171, 120, 784 pounds of tobacco. The 
States next in order as to amount of this crop produced were Virginia, 
Ohio and Connecticut; but Kentucky harvested 42,352,029 pounds more 
than the aggregate crop of those three States, 

The average yield, per acre, in Kentucky, was 665 pounds. The 
average in Greenup county is about 1,000 pounds merchantable tobacco, 
produced at a cost of about $40 for labor, and yielding net proceeds of 
about |33 for ordinary, to 850 for good article. 

Sorghum is a very profitable crop in this region. The yield of heavy 
syrup is ordinarily 250 gallons per acre, worth something more than 
llOO and netting about $40 to the producer. 

Grapes, and all the fruits of the temperate zone grow freely here ; 
and no country is better adapted to the cultivation of the small fruits, 
particularly raspberries and blackberries. 

The apple is extraordinarily thrifty and productive here. 

Mr. Sidney Lamar, in a recent article on the "New South," gives a 
description of the country of which this forms a part, that is exactly ap- 
plicable to the special tract to present the merits of which this pamphlet 
is written. He says : 

"Surely, along that ample stretch of generous sod, where the Appa- 
lachian raggednesses calm themselves into pleasant hills, a man can find 
such temperances of heaven and earth that a more exquisite co-adapta- 
tion of all blessed circumstances for man's life need not be sought. * * 
All products meet there, as at Nature's own agricultural fair, so that a 
small farm may miniature the whole United States in growth ; the little 
valleys everywhere run with living waters ; all manner of timber for 
economic uses, and trees for finer arts, cover the earth ; in short, here is 
such a neighborly congregation of climates, soils, minerals and vegeta- 
bles, that within the compass of a hundred acre farm a man may find 
wherewithal to build his house of stone, of brick, of oak or of pine; 



31 

to furnish it in woods that would delight the most curious eye, and to 
support his family with all the necessaries, most of the comforts, and 
many of the luxuries of the whole world." 

No observant person who, having had experience of other climes 
and climates, has passed a year in Greenup county, will object to the 
language just quoted as being extravagantly laudatory of that country. 

The writer, who is well acquainted with the region, has striven to 
confine himself to perfectly plain statements of mere matters of fact. 
He allows himself here, however, the gratification of declaring his full 
sympathy with Mr. Lamar's sentiments, and his expression of the same 
in the manner and form above reproduced. 

The spring comes on at Raccoon fully four weeks earlier than in the 
country no more than 150 miles north therefrom ; and roses bloom out 
of doors until about the middle of November. 

In healthfulness Kentucky outranks 27 of the states of the Union. 
The annual death rate of the State is 1.44 per cent, of the population. 
In Massachusetts it is 1.86 per cent. 

The drainage of the country is perfect. There is not a "swamp," 
nor body of stagnant water in Greenup county. 

While the lands along the Little Sandy, for a distance of some six 
miles, in a direct line, from the mouth of that river, are subject to over- 
flow by "back-water" from the Ohio, no part of the Raccoon tract is 
affected by any except the local rainfall, which is never violent nor ex- 
cessive. 

No destructive gale, nor other meteorological disturbance causing 
damage to property generally, has visited the valley of the Little Sandy 
within the memory of man. 

Windfalls, so common in some timbered regions, are not found in 
Greenup county timber-lands. 

The Raccoon tract has all about it farms owned and occupied by 
thrifty, well-to-do farmers. It lies in a neighborhood, the record of 
which as showing it to be the home of a law-abiding community, is not 
surpassed in excellence by that of any district or precinct in the Union, n^ 



32 

The people are good neighbors under any circumstances, but will 
take special pains to show their good will toward parties coming among 
them, the effect of whose coming, as they know from earlier experience, 
will be to benefit the county by increasing its wealth and in many ways 
promoting its prosperity. 

The Raccoon tract, while the central part of it is within an hour's 
walk of a railroad station, and only about six miles from the populous 
bank of the Ohio River, is practically entirely secluded. Stock ranging 
on it are free from any disturbances such as are caused among cattle by 
the passage near them of railway trains or the travel of a much used 
highway. 

In estimating the capacity of a tract for supporting stock exclusively 
by grazing, one should base his calculations on the conditions known to 
exist at those seasons most unfavorable to the supply of the water and 
food necessary to the proper maintenance of the animals. 

In cases where any desired amount of hay may be had for the mere 
cost of cutting and stacking it, and where at the same time there are 
ample areas of cleared and fenced lands on which corn, oats, and root 
crops may be cheaply produced, the farmer may safely calculate on 
stocking his range more heavily than he would be justified in doing had 
he no means for economically providing a store of food for use in an 
extraordinarily severe winter. 

In estimating the capacity of the Raccoon lands the above-stated 
facts have been kept in view. 

The 9,000 and odd acres east of Tygart's, outside of the cleared 
lands, properly apportioned and under the supervision of competent 
shepherds and stock-men, will, with the hay, oats, corn and root crops 
of the home farm, of 450 acres, to draw on as needed, handsomely 
carry when fully stocked, 1,000 head of neat cattle, 1,000 hogs, 100 
horses and mules, and 24,000 sheep. The pasturage allotted in 
this calculation to the 1,000 neat cattle would carry 8,000 sheep; that 
to the horses and mules, 2,000 sheep, and that to the hogs 2,000 sheep. 



33 

So the aggregate sheep-capacity of the range, were no other stock car- 
ried, would be 36,000 head. 

Of course each kind of stock would have its separate range and be 
under charge of proper herdsmen or shepherds. 

The hogs find ample food for keeping them in good case and growth 
through the summer, and in the fall fatten on oak, chestnut and beech 
mast, of which, in this season of 1883 for instance, there is a super- 
abundant crop, particularly of acorns. 

The business of breeding horses, neat cattle and hogs, and of raising 
mules, may be very profitably carried on at Raccoon in connection with 
that of sheep farming, or indeed to the exclusion of sheep farming; and 
will almost certainly largely share the attention of any company or pro- 
prietor hereafter acquiring the property ; but in order to simplify cal- 
culations we will here specifically consider only the subject of sheep 
farming. 

This pamphlet has already assumed somewhat formidable propor- 
tions, but on revision of the foregoing pages the writer has not found 
anything, in his opinion, not pertinent to the inquiry and exposition 
that he set out to make; and he finds still much to say. He trusts that 
the reader who has reached this point will have acquired an interest in 
the matter in hand sufficient to induce him to devote still further time 
to it. 

We are about to make brief digests of some remarks of various stu- 
dents of the natural history, habits, varieties and diseases of the sheep; 
and of some things that scientists and manufacturers, respectively, have 
observed in their examinations and practical handling of wool. Those 
whose knowledge of these matters is sufficient to enable them to safely 
''skip" this will doubtless do so. 

The natural habitat of the sheep is a mountainous region in a tem- 
perate climate. The animal is found native in each continent ; none of 
the domestic breeds, however, have been traced to the native mountain 
sheep of America. Under the influences of tropical climates the wool 
of the sheep degenerates into hair, and as tropical influences are ap- 



34 

preached fleeces diminish in weight and increase in coarseness. All ' 
the fine woolled sheep undoubtedly came from that stock of which the 
modern Spanish merino is the highest type. A mellow softness under 
the skin, found in a remarkable degree in the Spanish merino, indicates, 
in any breed, an aptitude for readily fattening. 

Of the long woolled sheep the Leicestershire or improved Lincoln- 
shire breed and its varieties are most esteemed. 

This sheep has a clean head, without horns; bright, lively eyes, 
straight, broad and flat back; round body, small bones, thin pelt; a dis- 
position to make fat at an early age, and a fine grained and well flavored 
flesh. The fleece is abundant and the animal is naturally quiet and not 
given to roaming about. The wool is not as long as in some other dis- 
tinctively long-woolled breeds,and is considerably finer tlian the average 
of long wool. 

The well shaped and good sized sheep now found in Greenup county 
and the neighboring country, have many of the good qualities of the 
Leicestershires. 

Of the several qualities desirable in wool one can hardly rank any 
particular one as of the first importance. Time was when fineness was 
esteemed the prime essential, and now, as always, wools distinctively 
"fine," if otherwise excellent, bring a considerably higher price per 
pound than any other. But for reasons that will appear as we proceed, 
a proprietor situated as one would be at Raccoon should not make the 
production of the finest wools his prime object. 

Before the introduction of the perfected processes and machinery of 
the present day, manufacturers of the higher grade woollen fabrics found 
difficulties in the way of using long staple wools. This is not now the 
case except with a special few. So, for the wool-grower, the longer the 
staple is the better it is, if it be at the same time of a fineness that will 
render it always readily marketable at good prices, A variation in 
"fashions" may very considerably affect the demand for a wool of any 
class or grade; but let fashion in fabrics vary as it may, a high-grade 
"middling," or medium, wool is always in fashion in the wool markets. 



35 

Naturally, the larger sheep carries the heavier fleece. So the farmer 
will wish to have his sheep as large as may be. 

Naturally, again, the larger sheep makes the greater weight of mut- 
ton, and for this reason, too, he would breed large sheep. 

But while one having at the start animals of the several varieties or 
breeds necessary to such operations, may, in the course of a few genera- 
tions, by judicious crossings and selections produce a strain of sheep 
bearing wool of extreme fineness; or one having extraordinary size; or 
one particularly excellent as making a mutton of superior fibre and 
flavor; he cannot develop an animal having each and all of these quali- 
ties. 

He cannot produce an extraordinarily large sheep yielding an extra- 
ordinary weight of extra fine wool, and of mutton of the very best 
known quality. But he can get a sheep yielding a distinctively heavy 
fleece of extra "medium" wool, and making a heavy carcase of distinc- 
tively good mutton. 

The "Raccoon" proprietor's situation and facilities will, as we have 
seen, enable him to put lambs and sheep into the New York market 
under the most favorable circumstances as to distance, dispatch and 
rates; the lambs earlier in the season, and both sheep and lambs in 
better condition than those of any large operator now engaged in that 
trade. He will, therefore, naturally engage largely in this traffic, and will 
wish to establish on his lands a breed of sheep suited to the demands of 
that trade. This he may do and at the same time maintain a breed that 
will give him large clips of those high-grade wools of medium fineness 
that are, as before indicated, always in good demand. 

The Greenup county sheep is the result of indiscrimiiiatc and undi- 
rected intermixtures of the Spanish Merino, introduced into Ohio about 
1801; the Leicestershire, brought into this country about 1825; and the 
sheep of the country generally, a race produced by intermixtures of the 
stock brought into Virginia in 1609 and that introduced into New Eng- 
land in 1625. 

Sheep are remarkably affected by conditions of climate, food, etc.. 



36 

and varieties resulting from the operation of such conditions have in 
some instances maintained themselves independent of any care or skill 
on the part of breeders. The Greenup variety, whatever its origin, is 
one exceptionally well suited to serve as the foundation of a breed that 
shall combine all the qualities that we have indicated as to be desired 
by the proprietor of Raccoon. Such a sheep may be produced by the 
breeding of fine woolled bucks with the native ewes, and judicious after- 
intermixture of selections from the first product. 

Wool is roughly classed, by producers and buyez-s of lots, according 
to the degree of fineness seen in the fleece, as "fine," "middling," or 
"coarse." 

But the wool of a fleece is not uniform as to fineness and other 
qualities, and in a subsequent and more exact classification, the wool of 
each fleece is sorted according to its grade. 

A fibre of wool has more or less a twisted or corkscrew form, and its 
whole stem is more or less minutely serrated. The more twisted and the 
more minutely and sharply serrated the fibre, the better suited is the 
wool for use in fabrics in the making of which the operation of "felting" 
is necessary. When pressed together the loops of the fibres interlace, 
and the serratures act to prevent the slipping of one fibre on another; 
thus producing a firm, strong fabric. The qualities described are found 
in greatest perfection of development and combination in wools of the 
greatest "fineness;" usually "short" wools. The wools having these 
qualities, making them fit for use in felted fabrics, such as cloths, hat 
bodies, etc., are classed as "clothing" wools and the fabrics made from 
them are called "woollen" goods. Wools of inferior felting qualities 
are used in the fabrics known as "worsted" goods, such as flannels, hos- 
iery, carpets, etc., and are classed as "combing" wools. Long combing 
wools are now, however, largely used in combination with the finer kind, 
in cloths; and are found to work very well with cotton and other mate- 
rial in the manufacture of worsteds. 

The class of clothing wools is sub-divided into at least six "grades : 



37 

''XX," "X," and Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 ; and that of combing wools into 
at least five grades : "Extra," and Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4. 

For the period of 35 \'ears, from 1827 to 1861, the average price in 
this country of "fine" wools was SO^q cents per pound; of "medium," 42^^^ 
cents, and of "coarse" 35^ cents. In 1861 the prices were 44)^ cents, 
393^ cents and 38^ cents. 

Prices of wool, in Boston, in August, 1881, were: 

FLEECE. 

XX, Mich, and Wis — @40c. 

X, Ohio and Penn — @4]>^c. 

No. 1, Ohio 45@47c. 

No. 2, washed — @33c. 

COMBING AND DELAINE. 

Combing 45@46}^c. 

Mixed combing . 43@45c. 

Fine Delaine — @45c. 

Coarse combing — @41c. 

Fine unwashed 29@,30c. 

Super, pulled 36@37c. 

Lambs', pulled — @40c. 

Tub washed .— @42>^c. 

Scoured 37@70c. 

Low scoured 35@4r)C. 

Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Utah : 

Good No. 1 Medium 26@30c. 

Good No. 2 Medium - - 22@25c. 

Nevada ungraded '. 23@28c. . 

Prices ranged according to quality, as below : 

Ohio and Penn 37j^@47c. 

Mich and Wis .- ..33>^@46c. 

Texas and territories 15 @32j4c. 

Combing and Delaine 25 @48c. 

California, springs. 23 @28c. 

Unwashed and unmerchantable 21 @32c. 



38 

Pulled 20 @47c. 

Scoured and tub 35 @77c. 

Odds and ends 9 @33^c. 

Prices in Philadelphia, September 1, 1883, were : 

WASHED FLEECES. 

Ohio, Penn. and W. Va., XX 36>^ to 39c. 

" X.. - -.36 to 37c. 

Medium .......39 to 40c. 

" Coarse 31i^ to 33c. 

" Medium Delaine 42 

" Coarse " 35 

UNWASHED — average condition. 

Ohio, Penn. and W. Va., Fine 24 

" " " " Medium 29 

" " " " Coarse 23 

" " " " Common and burry 18 

PULLED — from washed pelts. 

Ohio, Penn. and W. Va., Extra and Merino . . 30 

" " " " No. 1 and super 30 

" " " " Lambs 28 

" " " " Combing 28 

There is no foreign wool that competes in our markets with American 
medium, but English and Canadian coarse wools come in competition 
with our })roducts of the same grade. , 

We may safely estimate that for strictly good unwashed medium 
fleeces we can command, at Raccoon, at least 2 7 cents per pound. 

Having a sufficient understanding of the nature and objects of the 
inspection, according to the results of which one wool is classed as 
"clothing" and another as "combing," we may proceed to note that 
wool, whether of the clothing or the combing class, is graded and 
valued according to the results of tests made to determine its quality in 
each of the following named particulars, viz : cleanness, color, pliancy 
and elasticity, evenness of staple, evenness of length, fulness, freeness, 
soundness, softness and style. The last five terms used as describing 



to 43c. 


to 36c 


to 25c 


to 32c. 


to 24c 


to 19c 


to 33c 


to 33c 


to 33c 


to 33c. 



39 

quality are purely conventional, and the term "cleanness" in this con- 
nection has a special application. 

The examination as to "cleanness," in case of fleeces offered as 
"washed," is needed to determine, among other things, the degree to 
which the washing has removed from the wool the "yolk;" which, how- 
ever necessary to the preservation of the growing fibre, has no marked 
value in any other direction. 

Each follicle in the skin of a sheep, from which a fibre of wool 
grows, has glands supplying profusely a secretion, commonly called 
"yolk," which is in fact a soap containing an excess of animal oil. 
This secretion serves to keep the wool soft and pliant, and to lubricate 
it so that the serratures may not be worn off the fibres by the friction of 
one on another as the animal moves. It dissolves freely in warm water, 
and a thorough washing at the hands of the shepherd would almost en- 
tirely remove it from a fleece. * 

As the facts regarding its nature and ofiice in the economy of the 
sheep would lead one to expect, the yolk is most abundant in fleeces of 
the finest wool. 

The importance of a close estimate of the degree to which the yolk 
has been washed out is seen when we consider that in the finest woolled 
fleeces the weight of the secretion is from 50 to 10 per cent, of the 
weight of the unv/ashed fleece. In the coarsest wools the weight of the 
yolk is from 20 to 25 per cent, of that of the fleece. 

The reader will have noticed that in the above quoted prices for un- 
washed wool the "medium" is rated at a higher price than the "fine." 
The facts just given suggest the origin of the seeming inconsistency. 

An unwashed fleece is, of course, not clean of yolk, but it may rate as 
"clean" if it is, as it should be, free from dirty tags, as well as from 
earthy matters and burrs. 

Sheep ranging on clean lands that afford plenty of succulent food, and 
cared for as the wise farmer will care for his flocks; gathered each night 
on a fresh bedding place and never penned in mucky yards; will yield 



40 

fleeces that need no washing to make them clean in the sense of being 
free from "dirt." 

The operation of washing as ordinarily performed is injurious to the 
sheep, and, while it is very laborious and costly, produces no desirable 
effect on a fleece that is not dirty. 

We assume that the Raccoon proprietor will market his fleeces un- 
washed. 

As to "color" — since to show brilliant dyes well and clearly a wool 
must be perfectly white, this quality is of course desirable. The desira- 
ble qualities of softness, pliancy and elacticity, evenness of staple, and 
freeness, will be found in a satisfactory degree in none but the fleeces of 
healthy and thrifty sheep. 

That condition of the animal is essential to a secretion of "yolk" in 
quantity sufficient to maintain the pliancy of the wool. Without the 
yolk, and in case of disease or untlififty condition in the sheep, the wool 
becomes hard and harsh and grows uneven and irregular in size of fibre ; 
entangled and therefore not "free;" and with "joints" or weak places 
in it and therefore not "sound." 

Healthy and thrifty sheep make good wool whatever its "class," and 
with plenty of suitable food and wholesome water, a congenial climate, 
free range, clean, dry bedding places, freedom from disturbance and 
annoyances, and careful supervision and tending, sheep will be healthy 
and thrifty. 

Wool is graded as to fulness in accordance with the closeness of the 
growth of the fibres. 

As regards grade by "length of fibre," that wool is deemed best in 
which the fibres are most uniform in length. A wool that is uniformly 
fine, white, lustrous, sound and even, has good "style." "Pulled" wool 
brings usually about 10 per cent, less than "fleece" wool. The Raccoon 
proprietor will market but little, if any, pulled wool. 

Sheep, of whatever variety, reach their best condition as wool bear- 
ers when having free and ample range in a temperate climate, with 
plenty of succulent rather than fattening food. 



41 

They will thrive on pasturage where any other animal, a goat ex- 
cepted, would starve. They are fond of Alpine and aromatic plants and 
browse on weeds, briers and bushes, seeking such food largely to the ne- 
glect of grasses. 

For maintaining condition during any exceptionally sleety or other- 
wise unfavorable spell of winter weather, peas and oats with clean hay 
and an occasional turnip should be provided. 

The wool-producing effect of peas is greater than that of any other 
food. 

A merino buck weighs from 140 to 175 pounds ; the ewe 80 to 130 
pounds. The first will yield from 10 to 16 pounds washed wool and the 
latter from 4 to 8 pounds. 

The Leicestershire is considerably larger than the merino. 

In estimating, as we shall presently do, the results that may be ob- 
tained from operating the Raccoon tract as a sheep farm, we shall 
assume that we commence operations with the average sheep of the 
region and a stock of selected bucks; and that we breed to improve our 
flocks in the directions necessary to reach the results herein indicated as 
desirable. 

We shall make the estimate cover five years of operation; and calculate 
that our fleeces will average 4 pounds each the first year, to 6 pounds 
each the fifth year ; and that we sell our wool the first year at 25 cents 
and advance year by year to 27 cents per pound. With fairly good 
management the results will be better than the estimate. 

As to increase of flocks we may safely estimate that each ewe will 
raise a lamb yearly. Of the lambs about half in number will be male 
and half female. 

The female is fit for breeding at the age of one year; the male at 
eighteen months. The period of gestation is five months. Lambs may 
be weaned and placed in flocks by themselves at the age of three months. 
Both male and female may profitably be used for breeding up to the age 
of 8 years. The animal may be best fattened at the age of about 8 
years. 



42 

In our estimate possible losses through disease, and from other 
causes, will be taken into account; but under proper management such 
losses will be much less in amount than the percentage allowed in the 
estimate. 

Losses through killing by dogs may be entirely prevented. 

There is no law for Greenup county making the county liable for 
damage to sheep caused by dogs. Some counties in Kentucky are thus 
liable under special enactments, and similar legislation may be had for 
Greenup county if desired. But the legislation would not prevent the 
damage. Proper care of the flocks will, however, prevent it. 

For purposes entirely distinct from that of guarding the sheep 
against dogs we should employ for each 600 sheep a shepherd, who, with 
a colly dog, should be constantly with his flock; guarding and controll- 
ing its movements by day, rounding it up into a proper bedding place 
at night-fall, and watching it by night. The flock thus guarded will suf- 
fer no losses from the prowling dog, an animal which, having always a 
consciousness of the questionable character of his proceedings, is never 
the bold fellow that he may be when in his master's house-yard. 

In Kentucky any person has a right to kill any dog found tresspassing; 
and moreover the owner of the dog is liable for any damage done by 
the beast, and the owner or harborer of a sheep-killing dog is liable to 
indictment, and fine and imprisonment, for keeping such dog. 

In Greenup county one very seldom sees a dog except it be with its 
master, or on its master's premises. 

Of each of the several diseases and bodily ills to which sheep are 
subject the cause has been quite certainly determined. 

Of these diseases those that have worked most destruction in Eng- 
land, and elsewhere, are consequent on conditions that produce disease in 
any animal, the form and direction of action of the disease varying ac- 
cording to the physical peculiarities of the animal. 

At Raccoon the natural conditions are unvaryingly wholesome and 
desirable, and an intelligent management will prevent the growth of 



43 

those causes of disease that in the absence of the simple measures 
needed to prevent such growth will develop themselves anywhere. 

The disease known as "fluke," or sheep-rot, has since 1869 caused 
immense losses of sheep in England. 

It is not a contagious disease. It is the effect of an excessively wet 
season, or of keeping the animals continually on wet ground, where they 
become infected by a parasite : Fasciola nepotica. A fatal disease, caused 
by ah intestinal worm that attacks the liver of the sheep, is also known 
as "Fluke." 

"Apthous fever," "foot and mouth disease," or "murrain," appeared 
in England in 1839. A contagious, eruptive fever; generally appears in 
an epizootic, rarely in sporadic form. It is caused by overdriving, bad 
hygiene, bad food, or abrupt change of food. Hygienic treatment is, 
alone, curative. 

In the front part of each foot of the sheep, and between the hoofs, 
there is an opening from which issues a sebaceous secretion, one office 
of which is the lubrication of the opposed members of the hoof 

If the animal is made to stand continuously on wet ground, in low- 
lying, boggy pastures, or in mucky yards, the gland in the foot becomes 
inflamed; the secretion is suppressed, or mechanically obstructed, and 
that most troublesome of all diseases, "foot-rot," follows. 

Now, with high-lying, thoroughly drained pastures; good and suita- 
ble food and drink in plenty; open and ample range; congenial climate, 
and freedom from annoying and harrassing disturbances, the "Raccoon" 
proprietor need suffer no losses of sheep from any one of the above 
mentioned diseases. 

In some situations sheep are very much distressed, during the months 
of June and July chiefly, by the attacks of a bot-fly, Cephalemyia, or 
Qlstrus ovis, that seeks to deposit its eggs in the nostrils of the animals. 

The larva of this fly make their way into the frontal and maxillary 
sinuses of the sheep, causing great irritation and not unfrequently pro- 
ducing the death of the infested animal. 



44 

To exclude the fly from its nostril the sheep carries its muzzle close 
against the ground, and tries to escape from its tormentor by trotting 
rapidly from knoll to knoll, wherever fortunately for itself it can find a 
knoll. It seeks, at any rate, the highest points in its pasture. It, per- 
force, neglects its food, and suffers severely even if it finally evades the 
fly. 

These flies are about one-half inch long, of a grayish color, with a 
large head and yellow face. They prefer damp situations, and sheep 
that can reach high, dry, breezy hills almost entirely avoid this pest. 

The "screw-fly" that is the bane of stock-raisers in Texas and adjoin- 
ing territories, is unknown in Greenup county and the region adjacent. 

The ear-marking of sheep necessary in some regions as a means of 
identification of animals in case flocks get mixed, is fortunately uncalled 
for by any circumstance affecting sheep farming at Racccon. 

The capacity of the New York market for absorbing mutton — sheep 
and lamb — is very well indicated by the fart that the receipts at that 
market in the week ending March 12, 188-3, were 37,323 head. 

The prices were : 

Sheep — Poor to prime $5 60 to $7 25 per 100 lbs, 

" —Extra ._. 7 30to 7 40 " 

Lambs— Poor to choice 6 12 to 8 25 " 

At Cincinnati, in March, 1883, prices ruled : 

Sheep— Common to fair -..*3 75 to $4 75 

" — Good to choice -. 5 00 to 5 75 

" —Extra. G 00 to 

Lambs— Yearlings 5 00 to 5 75 

" —Extra - - . 6 00 to 

As a suggestion of what may be done in the way of exports of mutton, 
and as an indication of the extent to which the* London market is reach- 
ing out for supplies of that article, we note the recent arrival at Plymouth, 
Eng., of the "refrigerator" steamer "Sonia," from New Zealand, via the 
Straits of Magellan, with some 13,000 carcases of mutton. 

Subjoined is an estimate of the articles necessary, and the cost of 



45 

same, for a farming outfit sufficient for making a start at Raccoon with a 
stock of 4,000 sheep : 

6 Horses at $125 $750 00 

3 Wagons at |80 240 00 

1 Cart 50 00 

3 Plows at 610 30 00 

2 Harrows at $12 , 24 00 

1 Grain Drill 75 oo 

1 Mowing Machine 125 00 

1 Reaper and Binder 150 00 

Harness, Chains, Hand Tools, &c 250 00 

Repairing 8 houses, and refitting two buildings to serve as sta- 
bles, etc. . 1,000 00 

Seed ] 00 00 

Incidental Expenses 300 00 

Total |3,094 00 

This outfit would be sufficient for working about 150 acres of tillage, 
and taking care of grass land enough to provide ample supply of hay 
for the original stock of sheep and farm animals and their increase for 
the first year or two. 

A resident general manager should direct the entire business of 
the Raccoon concern. Under this officer there should be a head farmer 
having charge of all agricultural operations; a forester having charge of 
all woodlands; a head shepherd in charge of all flocks, and, on occasion, 
a head stockman to have charge of herds and horses. 

The business of each branch of the concern should be conducted 
as if it were that of an entirely separate and independent establishment. 

The farming department supplying hay and other feed to the stock 
department, and selling surplus products in other markets, would be, at 
least, self-supporting. The charges for feed made against the sheep ac- 
count in the subjoined estimate are ample to cover the cost of farming, 
and at the same time the farm would have considerable income from the 
general store, that would be kept for convenience of employees, as well 
as from sales in outside markets. 



46 

We do not purpose going into any estimate of possible profits from 
cattle, horses and hogs; nor from the store, which would derive a very- 
considerable income from trade with the people of the country about 
Raccoon, Each of those branches of business would prove handsomely 
remunerative; but, revenons a nos mouions, and see what we can make 
from these alone in a period of five years. 

In order to prepare for the reception of a stock of sheep during 
summer and autumn, and to provide for wintering the same, we should 
commence operations at Raccoon in the spring, and begin purchase of 
stock sheep soon after shearing time. 

The operations of our first season of occupation would thus be largely, 
if not entirely, preparatory. 

Having decided to stock the tract with sheep we shall do well to 
bring the number of animals up to the full capacity of the land as soon 
as may be, and at the start ought to have about one-sixth of a full stock. 

Below is an estimate of what may be done in the five years following 
the first season of occupation. 

The general manager would take charge of affairs as early as March 
1st, o'f the preparatory season. He would begin buying sheep immedi- 
ately after shearing time. 

The estimate of cost of stock is intended to cover price of the 
animals and the expense incident to purchasing them and delivering 
them on the lands, other than manager's salary, which is entered in es- 
timate as a separate item. 

In the period between shearing time and about the middle of 
October we should place on the lands 4,000 young ewes and 133 select 
bucks. 

4,000 Ewes at average price of $3 per hd... $12,000 00 

133 Bucks at average price of 130 per hd.. 3,990 00 

115,990 00 
Let the year be taken as ending after shearing time in each season. 



47 
ACCOUNT OF STOCK AND SALES. 

AFTER FIRST SHEARING. 

Original stock — Bucks 133 

Ewes ...4,000 

4,133 hd. 

Increase — Ewe lambs _ .2,000 

Ram lambs 2,000 

4,000 

8,113 hd. 
Select 70 bucks for breeding and make 1,930 wethers. 
Clip 4,133 fleeces, average 4 lbs. each — 16,532 lbs. wool. 
Sell 16,532 lbs. wool at 25 cts $4,133 00 

AFTER SECOND SHEARING. 

Wintered stock — Old bucks 133 

Yearling bucks 70 

Yearling wethers 1,930 

Yearling ewes 2,000 

Old ewes 4,000 

8,133 hd. 

Increase — Ewe lambs 2,000 

Ram lambs 2,000 

4,000 

12,133 hd. 

Clip 8,133 fleeces, average 4 lbs. each — 32,532 lbs. 

Sell 32,532 lbs. wool at 25 cts.. 18,133 00 

Sell 1,930 yearling wethers at $5 9,650 00 

17,783 00 

Select 70 bucks for breeding, leaving 1,930 wethers of 

this year. 



48 

AFTER THIRD SHEARING. 

Wintered stock — Old bucks 133 

Two year bucks "70 

One year bucks 70 

One year wethers 1,930 

Old ewes 4,000 

Two year ewes . - ..2,000 

One year ewes 2,000 

10,203 hd. 

Increase — Ewe lambs.. 3,000 

Ram lambs 3,000 

6,000 

16,203 hd. 
Select 100 bucks ; make 2,900 wethers. 
Clip 10,203 fleeces, average 6 lbs. each — 61,218 lbs. 

Sell 1,930 1 year wethers at $5.50 $10,615 00 

Sell 61,218 lbs. wool at 27 cts. 16,528 86 

27,143 

AFTER FOURTH SHEARING. 

Wintered stock— Old bucks 133 

Three year bucks 70 

Two year bucks 70 

One year bucks 100 

One year wethers 2,900 

Old ewes 4,000 

Three year ewes 2,000 

Two year ewes 2,000 

One year ewes .3,000 

14,273 hd. 

Increase — Ewe lambs 4,000 

Ram lambs .4,000 

8,000 

22,273 hd. 
Select 130 bucks ; leaving 3,870 wethers. 
Clip 14,273 fleeces, average 6 lbs. each — 85,638 lbs. 



49 

Sell 85,638 lbs. wool at 27 cts ..$23,122 26 

Sell 2,900 yearling wethers at $5.50 15,950 00 

39,072 26 

AFTER FIFTH SHEARING. 

Wintered stock — Old bucks 133 

Four year bucks 70 

Three year bucks 70 

Two year bucks 100 

One year bucks 130 

One year wethers 3,870 

Old ewes 4,000 

• Four year ewes 2,000 

Three year ewes 2,000 

Two year ewes 3,000 

One year ewes 4,000 

19,373 hd. 

Increase — Ewe lambs 5,500 

Ram lambs 5,500 

11,000 

30,373 hd. 
Select 200 bucks ; leave 5,300 wethers. 
Clip 19,373 fleeces, average 6 lbs. each — 116,238 lbs. 

Sell 116,238 lbs. wool at 27 cts $31,384 26 

Sell 3,870 yearling wethers at $5.50 21,285 00 

Sell 4,000 fat old ewes at $6.00 24,000 00 

76,669 26 



Aggregate sales $164,801 38 

STOCK LEFT ON HAND. 

Write off 133 old bucks. 

370 bucks worth average $30.00 each $11,100 00 

200 buck lambs worth average $10.00 each.. . 2,000 00 

5,300 young wethers worth average $3.00 each 15,900 00 
11,000 ewes worth average $5.00 each 55,000 00 

5,500 ewe lambs worth average $2.50 each 13,750 00 

22,370 head, worth $97,750 00 

Aggregate sales and stock.. ...$262,551 38 



50 

The employees named in subjoined estimate of expenses would re- 
ceive, in addition to pay specified, free use of house, and lands for 
kitchen garden and free access to fuel, both wood and coal. 

EXPENSES FIRST YEAR, 

Sheep farm's proportion of salary of General Man- 
ager, \}( year _. 12,500 00 

Salary of head shepherd 1 year 600 00 

Pay of three shepherds 3 mos., six 6 mos. and 

fourteen 3 mos., at ^40 per mo. each 3,480 00 

Feed of 4,133 head of sheep first winter 1,240 00 

Salt and incidentals 400 00 



5,220 00 



EXPENSES SECOND YEAR. 

General Manager and head shepherd ^2,600 00 

Fourteen shepherds 6 mos., twenty 6 mos. at $40 

per mo. each 8,160 00 

Feed of 8,133 sheep second winter 2,440 00 

Salt and incidentals 800 00 



$14,000 00 



EXPENSES THIRD YEAR. 

General Manager and head shepherd $2,600 00 

Twenty shepherds 6 mos., twenty-seven 6 mos. at 

$40 per mo. each 11,280 00 

Feed of 10,203 head third winter 3,061 00 

Salt and incidentals 1,020 00 



$17,961 00 



EXPENSES FOURTH YEAR. 



Salaries. $2,600 00 

Twenty seven shepherds 6 mos., thirty-two 6 

mos, at $40 each per mo 14,160 00 

Feed of 14,273 head fourth winter 4,282 00 

Salt and incidentals. 1,427 00 

$22,469 00 



51 

EXPENSES FIFTH YEAR. 

Salaries $2,600 00 

Thirty-two shepherds 6 mos., thirty-seven 6 mos. 

at $40 each per month 16,500 00 

Feed of 19,373 head fifth winter 5,812 00 

Salt and incidentals 2,000 00 

$26,972 00 

Using power clipping machines the shepherds can shear each 
his own flock with assistance of helper during about ten 
days of each season. 

1,020 days work of helpers at $1.50 per day $1,530 00 

Total expenses above named $91,152 00 

Add for losses and incidentals, 5 per cent 4,557 60 

Add State and County taxes on whole property — 

First year ._ $350 00 

Second year 450 00 

Third year 500 00 

Fourth year... 600 00 

Fifth year 700 00 

2,600 00 

Aggregate expenses $ 98,309 60 

Aggregate of sales 164,801 38 

Balance, net proceeds of sales $ 66,491 78 

Amount credited to Agricultural Department for 

feed $16,835 00 

Proportion of incidentals 1,231 00 

Aggregate in five years $18,066 00 

TOTAL INVESTMENT. 

Inlands, say -- $88,000 00 

In sheep. ._. 15,990 00 

Add incidentals 1,500 00 

$105,490 00 

Net proceeds of sales $66,491 78 

Value of stock on hand at close of 5 years 97,750 00 

$164,241 78 



52 

According to this estimate the net proceeds of sales of wool and 
sheep during the period considered would pay more than 12 j4 per cent, 
annually on the total original investment, while the stock on hand at 
close of the 5 year period would be worth a sum very nearly as great as 
that origanally invested in lands and stock. 

For the sixth year the sales of wool (from stock remaining after sell- 
ing the 4,000 old ewes and the 3,870 yearling wethers in the fifth year) 
would amount to $36,239 40, and sales of 5,300 yearling wethers to 
|26,500; in all, ;^(;2,739 40. 

Add to the profits of the sheep farm the income that may be derived 
from the timber-lands and we have a very handsome return for our in- 
vestment. 

The farm during the period named will have paid cost of operation 
(about $15,000 for the five years) and interest on cost of plant, from 
its sales to the sheep-farm alone; and from outside sales will have ac- 
cumulated a considerable credit balance. 

Finally under competent management, results even better than those 
indicated by the estimate may be secured. 

The yield of wool will be larger than that counted on in the esti- 
mate, and prices obtained for it will be higher than those named. 

Under the conditions existing at the Raccoon tract, and with the 
corps of shepherds provided for in the estimate, losses of stock should 
be insignificant. Every shepherd should be held responsible for the 
animals placed in his care. 

The allowance for losses, made in the estimate, is, we believe, more 
than sufficient. 

As before suggested, parties becoming proprietors of the Raccoon 
Lands will do 'well to adopt the charter of the existing Raccoon Company. 
Should they see objections to doing this they may organize under the 
general law of Kentucky, authorizing any number of persons to form a 
corporation for any purpose except building railroads or doing a bank- 
ing or insurance business. 



53 

The provisons of this law are very liberal See General Statutes of 
Kentucky, chapter 56, p. 546, et seq'r. 

Under the existing Raccoon charter there is no personal liability of 
stockholders beyond payment of subscription ; and there is no general 
law making any such liability. 

See Appendices for letters, etc., hereinbefore mentioned as to be 
therein given. ^ 

Under authority of the Raccoon Company the "Raccoon Lands" 
herein described (and as shown by the accompanying map) are, for a 
limited time, offered for sale by the undersigned, who is prepared to 
make a very low price for the property for cash. 

For further information, address 

J. M. GOODWIN, 
October, 1883. . Sharpsville, Mercer Co., Pa. 



54 



APPENDIX A. 

October 1st, 1883 



Sharpsville, Mercer Co., Pa., ") 



Mr. J. M. Goodwin : 

Dear Sir — In the latter part of January of this year I visited West 
Virginia and Eastern Kentucky, and at your request made an examina- 
tion of the Raccoon property in Greenup county, Ky., with a view par- 
ticularly to its fitness for use as a sheep farm and stock range. 

I did not attempt an inspection of every part of the extensive tract, 
but gave my attention to getting a fair idea of the character of the prop- 
erty and "lay of the land" generally, the extent and boundaries of the 
tract, the quality of the soil, the amount and character of the timber on 
the lands, the supply of water for stock, the quality of the native grasses, 
the area of tillage and meadow, and the capacity of the property as a 
whole for supporting stock. 

As to the climate of the region and its position in relation to lines of 
transportation, I was sufficiently well informed before my visit. 

I have recently read with attention the manuscript of your pamphlet 
descriptive of the Raccoon tract, and with the stipulation of the fact 
that I have not given much attention to the geology of the region, nor 
to those matters of population, products and railway distances, concern- 
ing which you give statistics, can and do fully indorse everything you 
say of the Raccoon Lands and of the region in which they lie, and be- 
lieve that your estimates of the capacity of the tract treated as a sheep 
ranch, and of the value of the timber on it, are entirely warranted by the 
facts in the case. Yours truly, 

WILLIAM CARNES. 

Mr. Carnes is well known in Western Pennsylvania as a practical 
farmer, stock raiser and handler of wool. He is also largely engaged in 
the manufacture of hard wood lumber in Mercer county and thereabout. 

J. M. G. 



55 



APPENDIX B. 

Greenup, Ky., March 8, 1883. 
To whom it may concern : 

I have been engaged in the practice of the law in Kentucky for over 

thirty years, except six years of the time I was judge of the 16th judicial 

district. 

I am well acquainted with the title of the Raccoon Mining and Man- 
ufacturing Company to its lands in Greenup county, Ky. My opportuni- 
ties and investigation of the title have been such that I have no hesita- 
tion in saying that the company have a good legal title — it is beyond 
question or dispute in my judgment. It has been so held many years 
ago by the Court of Appeals of the State, being court of last resort. 

W. C. IRELAND. 

APPENDIX C. 

AN ACT TO INCORPORATE THE RACCOON MINING AND 
MANUFACTURING COMPANY. 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of 
Kentucky : 

Section 1. That Columbus Kirtley, James C. McGrew, Robert D. 
Barr, Elizabeth Barr, Mary E. Barr, their associates and successors, are 
hereby incorporated and made a body politic by the name and style of 
"The Raccoon Mining and Manufacturing Company," and by that name 
may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, in all courts and places ; 
contract and be contracted with in all matters pertaining to the business 
and objects of the corporation, and do any and all acts which a corpora- 
tion incorporated for similar purposes may or can do in fulfillment of 
its charter, and the object and ends of its organization ; may have a 
common seal which may be changed and altered at the pleasure of the 
company. 



56 

Sec. 2. The objects and purposes of the incorporation of said com- 
pany shall be the mining for coal, iron ore, and any and all other min- 
eral substances, or the direct products of the earth, or any and all of 
them, and the manufacture and refining of any or all of them, and 
transportation to market of the same. 

Sec. 3. The location and field of mining and manufacture of said 
company shall be Greenup county. 

Sec. 4. The capital stock of said company shall be one hundred 
thousand dollars, to be increased by a vote of the majority of the mem- 
bers to any sum not exceeding five hundred thousand dollars, to be 
divided into shares of one hundred dollars each, which shall be personal 
property, and assignable in such manner as may be prescribed by the 
by-laws of the company ; and lands and other real estate, mines and 
mining rights, may be subscribed as a part or the whole of said stock, 
upon such terms as may be agreed upon by the subscribers and the com- 
pany. 

Sec. 5. The stock, property, and general prudential affairs of said 
company shall be managed by a board of not less than three nor more 
than seven directors, to be chosen for one year by the stockholders ; and 
every stockholder shall have one vote for each share owned by him, her 
or them ; provided, the directors first elected shall hold their office for 
the remainder of the current year; and provided, further, that a Presi- 
dent of the board shall also be elected by the directors from among 
themselves, or the stockholders, who shall hold his office for the same 
term with the directors. The president and directors shall be stock- 
holders of the company and they may appoint such other officers and 
agents and employes as they may deem proper. A majority of the di- 
rectors shall constitute a quorum. 

Sec. 6. The company shall keep a book which shall be open to the 
inspection of the stockholders, and each of them, at all times, in which 
shall be kept the names and amount of stock held and owned by each 
stockholder, and the amount paid in ; also a book in which shall be 
kept a full and faithful account of the proceedings, elections, rules and 



57 

by-laws and acts of said company, except its accounts and contracts with 
individuals. 

Sec. 7. The president and directors may make such by-laws as they 
may deem proper, prescribing the times, places, and manner of holding 
elections, the transferring of stock, the forfeiture thereof for non-pay- 
ment, the time and manner of payment, the duties of officers, agents, 
and employees, their authority and powers, filling vacancies in office, the 
character, kind and amount of business, and all such as may be necessary 
for the proper prudential and effective management of the property and 
business of the corporation, and the objects and interest of its creation, 
provided the same are not repugnant to this act, the constitution and 
laws of this State and of the United States. 

Sec. -8. Said company shall have power to take, acquire, and hold 
lands, mines, and mining-rights, as they may deem necessary for the uses 
of said company, and all such personal property, machinery, boats, 
floats, &c., as may be necessary, and to dispose of, for the use of the 
company and the stockholders, any or all of the same. 

Sec. 9. The company shall have power to build and construct a 
railway or tramway, one or more, from their mines and lands to any 
railway or tramway, or to the Ohio River, or any other navigable river 
of the State; provided for the condemnation of the right of way or 
lands for said purposes the same proceedings shall be had as prescribed 
by the revised statutes for the condemnation of lands for the use of turn- 
pike and plank roads ; and provided the same shall not obstruct any 
public highway or navigable stream. 

Sec. 10. This act shall be in force from its passage. 

Approved: March 16, 1869. 

The act was accepted, and the company organized, March 25, 1870. 

Capital stock was increased to $124,000. Time of annual meeting 
is now the third Saturday of December. 

Edward F. Dulin was chosen president at the annual meeting of Dec. 
21, 1872, and now holds that office. 

The entire stock is now in the hands of Mr. Dulin, W. J. Worthing- 
ton, and R. D. Barr, all of Greenup, Ky. 



i2srnDE2c: 



A. 

Page. 

Agricultural products, amount of exports of, in 1880. 1 

Argillite Station 7-8-9-10 

Argillite Tract, owned by E. K. Ry. Co.; adjoins Raccoon (on east) 15-16 

Armstrong, John, owns Buffalo Tract, adjoining Raccoon 15 

Alcorn Creek, course of _ 16 

Alcorn Division, of Raccoon Tract, area of, etc 16-17 

Assessments, for taxation ; how made ; usual rate in Greenup county 28 

Apthous fever, in sheep, "murrain," 43 

B. 

Boston, distance to, from Raccoon . 9-10 

Boston, prices of wool at 37 

Baltimore & Ohio R3\ Route 10 

Bates, H. W., Vice President E. K. Ry. Co., permits writer to refer to him 13 

Buffalo Tract, owned by John Armstrong; adjoins Raccoon 15 

Buildings, on Raccoon Tract 17-18-21-22 

Bot-fly, an enemy to sheep 48-44 

Barr, R. D., shareholder in Raccoon M. & M. Co.; Appendix C. 

c. 

Conditions desirable in tract to be used for sheep-farm 4-6 

Climate suited to sheep raising 4 

Of Greenup county, Kentucky - 26-27 

Influence of, upon sheep, and quality of wool 33-34 

Charleston, S. C, future market for products of North Eastern Kentucky 8 

Center of population in United States, position of, in 1880 9 

Chicago, distance from, to Raccoon, by air line — 9 

Distance from, to New York by rail 10 

Chesapeake & Ohio Railway 8-9-10 



59 

Carnes, William, has examined Raccoon Tract, and indorses representations 

made in this pamphlet 12 

His letter of indorsement, Appendix A 54 

Cleared lands, in Raccoon Tract ; area of IB 

Clay Lick 16 

Crandall, A. R., Assistant State Geologist of Kentucky, Reports of 20 

Coals, of Raccoon Tract, description and anal)'ses of 20-21 

Coal No. 1, identification of ; estimate of value of '. 20-21 

County taxes, in Greenup county 28 

Crops of Greenup county ; Corn crop, etc 18-29-30 

Community, character of 31-32 

Capacit)^ of land for maintaining stock 32 

Corporations, in Kentucky, Laws concerning taxation of 28 

Laws concerning formation of 53 

Charter of Raccoon Mining and Manufacturing Compan}^ Appendix C. 

D. 

Diseases of Sheep, avoidance of, causes of.. Q 

Practically unknown in Greenup county 27 

Characteristics of, causes of, prevention of 42-44 

Distance, from central point in Raccoon Tract to certain neighboring towns 

and railway stations 6 

From Raccoon to several cities, by air line 9 

From Argillite and Haverhill, to certain cities, by rail 9-10 

Distances, Tables of 9-10 

Dulin, E. F., Prest. of Raccoon Company, and shareholder,.. 13, and Appendix C. 

Descent, of Ohio River, from Pittsburgh to Greenup... 26 

Drainage, of Greenup county 31 

Dogs, Laws of Kentucky concerning depredations by.. 42 

Collies to be used to guard flocks 42 

E. 

Exports, of Products of Agriculture, amount of, in 1880 1 

Of Mutton to England, probable 44 

Eastern Kentucky Railroad, points connected by, and length of 8 

Connections, and projected extension, of 8 

Resident manager of... _. 12 

Erie Railway Route 10 

Elevations above Tide .- 25-26 



60 

Ear-marking, not necessar\- at Raccoon, 44 

Equipment for farming, cost of 44-45 

Estimate of proceeds from timber lands 23-24 

Of proceeds from sheep farming, 5 years 46-52 



Fire-cla)', non-plastic — 19 

Furnace stack, value of 31 

" Fluke," or "rot," in sheep 43 

Foot-rot, in sheep 43 

Foot-and-mouth disease, in sheep ; Apthous fever --- 43 

Farming lands at Raccoon 16-19-25 

Farming, to be carried on at Raccoon; extent at outset. -. 45 

Cost of stock and implements, &c 44-45 

Estimate of value of products supplied to the sheep-raising de- 
partment — 51-53 

G. 

Greenup county, Kentucky, —Geographical position of 9-25 

Central situation 9 

Geology and Mineralogy of 19-30-31 

Area and population of ..27 

Debt of ; taxes in ; value of lands in 28 

Average county-tax for five years 28 

Crops of ; live stock of ; tobacco produced 29-30 

Climate of 26-27-30 

Lamar's description applied to 30 

Goodwin, J. M., the writer; his acquaintance with, and examination of, the 

Raccoon property 11-12 

General Manager, of Raccoon, duties of 45-46 

Geology of Greenup county ■ - 19-21 

Graham patent - 14 

Greenup, town 7 

H. 

Haverhill Station 10 

Hutchinson Patent ; date of ; area of tract granted by 13 

Description of ; sold to Trimble 14 

Disposition of, by Trimble and his successors 14 



61 

Hocking Vallej' Coal, compared with Coal No. l.._ 20 

Hay, in Greenup county, crop of , in 1879; not uncommon yield of 25-29 

Healthfulness of Kentucky, annual death-rate, etc 31 

Horses and Hogs ; may be profitably raised at Raccoon 32-33 

Head-shepherd, at Raccoon 45-50 

Head-farmer, at Raccoon 45 

I. 

Introductory remarks 1-5 

Insufficient products of meats in European countries 3 

Ireland, Hon. W. C, certificate as to title to Raccoon Tract, Appendix B. 

Inundations, Raccoon Tract not subject to 31 

Increase of flocks, safe estimate of 41 

Detailed estimate of 47-49 

Investment, total, and proceeds from same ., 52 

K. 

Kellc}^, Joshua, owns Laurel Tract, adjoining Raccoon 15 

Keuborth, B., owns lands formerly part of Raccoon Tract 15 

Deed to him, June 30, 18(38, Record of 15 

Kentucky, State of. Laws concerning "processioning" lines 15 

Laws concerning corporations. .. 28-53^ 

Laws concerning dogs. 42 

Act incorporating Raccoon Mining and Manufacturing Co. 55 

State taxes 28 

Tobacco crop of, in 1880 30 

Healthfulness of 31 

L. 

Lexington, Kentucky, distance from, to New York 10 

Lake Shore Railway Route 10 

Laurel Tract, owned by Joshua Kelley ; adjoins Raccoon 15 

Little Sandy River, (see map) when and where navigable 17 

Lamar, Sidney, quotation from, descriptive of Greenup county.. 30 

Leicestershire sheep, described -... 34 

Lands, in Greenup county, value of - 28 

Laws of Kentucky regarding "processioning," 15 

Corporations 28-53 

Dogs 43 

Liability of Stockholders incorporations . - 53 



62 

M. 

Maps, accompanying pamphlet, described - 6-7 

Main ridge, in Raccoon Tract, course of.. ._ _ 18 

Mineralogjs of Greenup county, memoranda on 19-20-21 

Mutton, markets for, prices of - 44 

N. 

Newport News, appli«w*»»for handling freights at.. _. 9 

Port for export of grain and live stocTc 9 

Distance to, by rail, from Raccoon, .^ — 9 

New York, distance to, from Raccoon 9-10 

Receipts of sheep at. per week, and prices 44 

Navigation of Little Sandy River 17 

o. 

Ohio River Steamers — 11 

Oldtown Creek - 16 

Ores, of Raccoon Tract .. 19-21 

Organization of New Raccoon Concern, and operations 14-45-46-53 

Operations of New Company; suggested scope of , 33-45 

• Conduct of 45-46 

Estimate of proceeds of ^^'^2 

P. 

Philadelphia, distance to, from Raccoon 9-10 

Prices of wool at 38 

Population, of United States "center" of, in 1880 9 

Of North Eastern States, aggregate 9 

Of Greenup county 27 

Penns)'lvania Railway Route 10 

President of Raccoon Mining and Manufacturing Company, E. F. Dulin 13 

Processioning, method of, described 15 

Lines of Raccoon Tract established by 15-16 

Pine timber, on Raccoon Tract, estimate of value 24 

Prices current for timber and lumber, at several points. 23-24 

Prices of wool 37-38 

Pasture grasses 25 

Peas, as food for sheep 41 

Prices of sheep in New York and Cincinnati markets... 4.4 



63 

R. 
Regions suited to slieep raising, overlooked by English and other capitalists — 3 

None as well situated as " Raccoon" 4 

Characteristics of — 4-6 

Raccoon Lands, precisel}- suited to use as sheep farm ._ 6 

Raccoon Tract, situation, and geographical position of 7-8 

Descriptions of — - 7 

On west side of Tygart's Creek.- 7-13-24-25 

Distance from, to several cities, by air line -- 9 

Distance from, to several cities, by rail 9-10 

Situation of, in relation to Atlantic ports -- 10-11 

Not dependent on any one route for transportation 11 

Means of access to all Trunk lines 9-10-11 

Part of the Hutchinson patent of 32,000 acres 13 

Present area of -- -' 14 

Continuous actual possession of, and title to. 14-15 

Boundaries of in 1870.-. 15 

Lines of, established by "Processioning," -.. 15 

Re-survey of, to be made if desired.. 16 

Areas of cleared land, timber, and second growth 16-17-25 

Watersheds, and natural divisisions of 16-17 

Buildings on... — 17-18-21-22 

Ridges, main and lateral 18 

Rocks of, ■ described .- 19-20 

Coals and ores of 19-20-21 

Timber now standing on 16-17-18-23-24 

Timber on ; quantity and value of 23-24-25 

Timber-trees on ; kinds, and distribution of 22 

Secluded situation of ; a favorable condition 32 

Capacity of , for maintaining stock 32-33 

Not subject to inundation, nor destructive gales 31 

Rainfall, annual, in Greenup county - 35 

Railway, Eastern Kentucky, the -- 8-10 

Norfolk & Western, the 8 

East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia System, the 8 

Chesapeake & Ohio, the. --- 8-9-10 

Elizabethtown, Lexington & Big Sandy 8 

Louisville & Nashville 8 



64 

Louisville, Evansville & St. Louis _ 8 

Scioto Valle}- . . 10 

Cincinnati Eastern 11 

Railwa}- Routes, from Raccoon, compared. 10 

Riverton, northern terminus of Eastern Kentucky Railway 7 

Raccoon Mining and Manufacturing Company, now owning Raccoon 13 

E. F. Dulin, President, of 13 

Capital stock and franchises.. 18 
Cop}^ of Charter of, Appendix C. 
Present stockholders in, " 

Raccoon Creek, course of, land on, &c 16 

Elevation of bed of, at Furnace 18-26 

s. 

Soil, quality of, desirable in sheep farm 4 

Surface, kind of, desirable in sheep farm 4 

Shelter, natural, desirable in sheep farm 5 

Savannah, Ga., future market for products of North Eastern Kentucky 8 

Section of Rocks of Raccoon Tract 19-20 

Scioto Fire-claj^ _ 19 

Sandstone ; refractory, friable, Waverly 19-20 

Slope, of faces of hills on Raccoon Tract, character of 20 

Soil, of Raccoon Tract 25 

Second growth timber, kinds and value of ; age of 22 

Areas of ; proper treatment of 25 

Sorghum, yield of, in Greenup county . 30 

State tax, in Kentucky, and other States 28 

Seasons — 31 

Seclusion, of Raccoon Tract ; favorable to sheep raising 32 

Stock, in Greenup county, in June, 1880 29 

Screw-fly, not known in Greenup 44 

Shepherds; duties of ; number employed, tScc 42-45-50-51-53 

Sheep, do not thrive as formerly, in England — 2 

Do not thrive best on low-lying lands 4 

Wintering of, in Greenup county — 27-29 

A. C. Van Dyke's experience in raising, in Greenup county.. 27 

Number in Greenup county, in 1880 29 

Capacity of Raccoon Tract for supporting 32-33 



65 

Natural history of the ; varieties of 33-36 

The Leicestershire described 34 

Best kind for Raccoon 35 

Breeding of, to produce the desired variety... _ 86 

Washing injurious to 40 

Proper care of _ _ 49 

Proper food for ; food preferred by 40-41 

Weights of _ _ _ 41 

Increase of flocks, estimated 41-47-49 

Age for breeding, period of gestation, weaning 41 

Diseases of ; character of; causes of ; prevention of 6-42-44 

Guarding of flocks ; losses by disease and depredations 43-43-51 

Attacked by Bot-fly 43 

Receipts of, in New York market, per week 44 

Prices of, in New York and Cincinnati markets 44 

T. 

Tygart's Creek, position of, in relation to "Raccoon" 7 

Railroad to be built along valley of 25 

Transfer of cars, by boat, between Eastern Kentucky Ry. and Scioto Valley Ry. 10 

At New York 9 

Trimble, David, and his partners and successors 14 

Their occupation of Raccoon Tract 14 

Timber, now standing on Raccoon Tract 16-17-18-23-24 

Tramway, built by Lumbering firm in 1880-81 17 

Timber-trees, kinds, and distribution of, at Raccoon 22 

Timber, (and lumber) on Raccoon Tract ; estimate of quantit}' and value ; 

with memorandum of actual yield . 23-24-25 

Timber-land , second growth, area of ...- 25 

Proper treatment of 25 

Ties, (railroad) estimate of 3'ield of 24 

Temperature, mean annual, of Greenup county 25 

Tobacco, crop in Kentucky, and in Greenup county 30 

Taxes, State and County ; rate, and how levied 28 

Title to Raccoon lands. Appendix B. 



66 

V. 
Value of good neighborhood 5 

Varieties of timber on Raccoon Tract, and distribution 23 

Van Dyke, A. C. ; his experience in sheep raising in Greenup county 27 

Value of land in Greenup county . . 28 

w. 

Willard, present southern terminus of Eastern Kentucky Railway,. 8 

Wilmington, N. C., future market for products of North Eastern Kentucky 8 

Waverl}' Sandstone _ 19 

Wintering of stock in Greenup county - 27 

Wool, character of, influenced by climate 33-34 

Qualities desirable in, for various purposes 34-36 

Classifications and gradings of 36-39-40 

Structure of fibre of 36 

Average prices of the several classes of 37 

Prices of, in 1881 and 1883 37-38 

No foreign competition with American medium 38 

Estimate of price to be had for unwashed medium 38 

Qualities considered in classing and grading 38-39 

" Yolk" in ; character and weight of 39 

Condition essential to production of good wool 39-40 

Estimate of production of, at Raccoon, and prices 47-49 

Watersheds, and natural divisions, of Raccoon Tract 16-17 

Water for stock . 25 

Worthington, W. J., shareholder in Raccoon M. & M. Co., Appendix C. 

Y. 

Yolk, in Wool 39-40 



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